NABARD scripts success story in tribal hamlets of Nilambur

NABARD and JSS are helping tribal families in Malappuram to achieve financial stability through integrated development project. Supervised by hamlet councils, the project is promoting goat rearing, medicinal plant cultivation, duck and rabbit farming, beekeeping, and cultivation of various fruits and vegetables. It also offers job training to youth.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is scripting a success story in Nilambur by implementing an integrated tribal development project. The project as part of NABARD’s Tribal Development Fund (TDF) has begun to yield positive results from 18 tribal hamlets in five panchayats under the Nilambur block.

The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) headed by P.V. Abdul Wahab, MP, is implementing the project with the objective of uplifting and ensuring a steady income for 375 select tribal families in four years.

Unlike other tribal welfare schemes, the NABARD-JSS project is being supervised by hamlet development councils and their representative body named village planning committee. “We could ensure 100% transparency and effectiveness by making tribespeople supervise and implement the project,” said JSS director V. Ummerkoya and NABARD district manager A. Mohammed Riyas.

NABARD is spending only ₹70,000 in four years for each of the 375 families. Besides, the families can get benefits from Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds of certain companies, and local bodies.

NABARD and JSS are promoting goat rearing, medicinal plant cultivation, duck and rabbit farming, and beekeeping. Besides, cultivation of pepper, nutmeg, clove, ginger, turmeric, banana, jackfruit, coconut, and vegetables is also promoted as part of the scheme.

“We have given them such fruit trees as rambutan, guava, and avocado. The folks at Uchakkulam and Ambumala hamlets are cultivating dragon-fruit as well,” said Mr. Ummerkoya.

According to Mr. Riyas, the project indirectly empowers tribal women in the 18 hamlets. He said results were tangible in the initial year after the project was implemented.