In Adilabad, tribals find new sources of income from forests

Adilabad’s tribal communities are adding income streams from forest resources already available near their villages. They are cultivating lac on Palash trees and processing Mahua flowers into laddus. These activities matter because families can earn more without giving up farming, collecting forest produce or traditional occupations.

In Narnoor mandal, 286 families across 12 villages cultivated lac on 3,760 Palash trees. In Khairdatwa, 12 tribal women formed a production unit that turns collected Mahua flowers into laddus. The district administration supported both efforts with training, funding, machinery and coordination with forest committees.

The first lac harvest brought each participating family ₹3,500 to ₹8,000. One farmer, Pendur Laxman, earned about ₹27,000 from one cycle. The administration plans to expand lac cultivation to 20 villages and connect both initiatives with reliable buyers and institutional orders.

Lac is a natural resin produced by insects on certain trees. It becomes a useful forest-based product when people manage the insects and collect the resin they secrete. The process offers income while leaving the host trees standing.

Villagers introduce lac-producing insects onto suitable Palash and other trees. The insects settle on the trees and secrete resin around them. After the resin develops, growers harvest it and prepare it for sale. The article describes this as scientific lac cultivation rather than ordinary collection.

Because most participating families had no earlier experience, master trainers came from Jharkhand. They taught villagers how to introduce the insects, maintain the crop and harvest the resin. Village-level Van Sanrakshan Samitis also joined the programme. The first phase helped 286 families earn from this low-cost activity without cutting down trees.

The first phase of Adilabad’s lac cultivation programme reached 286 tribal families in 12 villages of Narnoor mandal. It brought 3,760 Palash trees under scientific lac cultivation. These figures show that the programme was organised across a sizeable local network rather than limited to one demonstration farm.

Families from the Kolam, Gond and Lambada communities took part. Lac-producing insects were introduced onto suitable trees, where they secreted the resin later collected for sale. The programme was coordinated with the Forest Department, and village-level Van Sanrakshan Samitis were involved in supporting the work.

Officials reported that all 286 participating families harvested lac during the first phase. Each earned between ₹3,500 and ₹8,000. The administration now plans to expand the programme to 20 villages, 370 tribal families and about 6,700 Palash and other suitable trees.

Lac can be cultivated without cutting Palash trees because the trees serve as living hosts for lac-producing insects. Growers manage the insects and collect the resin they secrete on the trees. The trees remain in place, so the activity can provide income without removing this forest resource.

The process begins by introducing suitable lac-producing insects onto selected trees. Villagers then maintain the crop while the insects produce resin. When the resin is ready, they harvest it for sale. The programme covered 3,760 Palash trees and was introduced with the Forest Department’s coordination.

Training was essential because most families had never cultivated lac before. Master trainers from Jharkhand taught them how to introduce insects, care for the crop and harvest resin. Village-level Van Sanrakshan Samitis also participated. The administration is exploring ways to reduce costs where lac insects regenerate naturally.

Turning Mahua flowers into laddus may create more value than selling the flowers as raw produce. A finished product can involve processing, preparation and selling, allowing producers to earn from more steps in the supply chain. The administration specifically designed the initiative to help women earn more from forest produce.

In Khairdatwa village, 12 tribal women linked to self-help groups make laddus from Mahua flowers collected in the forests. Their Girijan Mahua Laddu Production Unit received ₹5 lakh through the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme and ₹5.60 lakh through the Aspirational Blocks Programme for machinery and setup.

The approach also gives women experience managing a small village enterprise. However, higher earnings are not automatic. The unit needs buyers and regular orders to keep operating. Its laddus are being linked to nutrition-related supplies for tribal Ashram schools and Anganwadi centres, which may provide an important source of demand.

Marketing matters because producing lac or Mahua laddus does not guarantee income. Growers need buyers for harvested resin, while the laddu unit needs orders for its finished food. Without dependable demand, both initiatives may remain occasional activities rather than steady livelihoods.

The administration is planning collective marketing for lac growers. Selling together can help families reach buyers, organise their produce and reduce cultivation costs where lac insects regenerate naturally. For the Mahua unit, linking laddus to tribal Ashram schools and Anganwadi centres is one way to create institutional demand.

The article presents the first harvest as promising but not conclusive. Lac families earned ₹3,500 to ₹8,000 each, while one farmer earned more through multiple cycles. Future earnings will depend on regular production and access to buyers. The women’s unit likewise needs regular orders if it is to provide dependable income.

Non-timber forest products are goods from forests other than wood or timber. They include products such as flowers, resins, fruits, leaves and other materials that people collect, process or sell. For forest-dependent communities, these products can support food needs, household uses and livelihoods alongside farming.

The article gives two examples from Adilabad. Lac is a resin produced by insects on Palash and other suitable trees. Mahua flowers are collected from forests and can be processed into laddus. Families and women’s groups earn more by managing or processing these resources instead of relying only on farming or selling raw produce.

These activities can add income without cutting down trees. Still, earnings depend on skills, production and buyers. Adilabad’s administration is expanding lac cultivation, supporting machinery and training, and seeking markets. Regular demand will determine whether these forest-based activities become dependable enterprises.