Empowering Tribal Women through Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in Rajasthan
Empowering Tribal Women through Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in Rajasthan
Problem
- Need for tribal community development in 8 districts of Rajasthan
- Limited knowledge on business activities, access to technology, and market accessibility among tribal villagers
- Lack of awareness among tribal women about livelihood activities
- Challenges in profitability and availability of Minor Forest Producer (MFP)
- Absence of proper facilities and infrastructure
- Absence of capacity building mechanism
Solution
- Launch of the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana in collaboration with various agencies
- Formation of 461 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras, covering 1,39,329 SHGs HHs
- Comprehensive training to 1,28,350 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Members on business activities
- Inclusion of agriculture, horticulture, and mediational produce to boost profitability
- Utilisation of government buildings for Van Dhan Vikas Kendra operations
- Collaboration with agencies for marketing, packaging and branding exercise
Outcomes
- Empowerment of approximately 300 women members per Van Dhan Vikas Kendra
- Achievement of operational training in 455 out of 461 Kendras
- Access to funds and decision-making power vested in the women members
- Availability of dedicated buildings for Kendra operations
- Potential expansion to other tribal-prevalent districts of Rajasthan
- Expansion in physical training infrastructure
- Deployment of trained Master Trainers
Project Details
Category: Livelihoods
Project Title: Empowering Tribal Women through Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in Rajasthan
Department or District: Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (RGAVP), Jaipur
State: Rajasthan
Start Date of the Project: 29th March 2022
Website: https://rgavp.rajasthan.gov.in/
Tribe(s) that the Project Covers: The programme covers tribal communities across eight districts of Rajasthan, with a mandated inclusion of at least 60% Scheduled Tribe members in each Van Dhan Vikas Kendra.
Keywords: Van Dhan Yojana, Tribal Women, SHGs, MFP Scheme, Value Addition, TRIFED, Tribal Entrepreneurship, Herbal Products, Tribal Empowerment, FSSAI, Neem Oil, Herbal Gulal, Digital Monitoring, Forest Produce
Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (VDVY) was launched as a transformative tribal livelihood programme to channel the potential of minor forest produce (MFP) into sustainable income for tribal women. It builds upon the SHG platform of Rajeevika, aiming to convert tribal gatherers into empowered entrepreneurs. The programme is being implemented in eight tribal-dominated districts of Rajasthan—Baran, Banswara, Dungarpur, Kota, Jhalawar, Pratapgarh, Sirohi, and Udaipur.
The Project
Under the mentorship of RGAVP and with TRIFED as the National Implementing Agency, 461 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) were formed, covering 1,39,329 SHG households. Each Kendra is an enterprise node engaging approximately 300 women in value addition of forest, agricultural, and herbal produce. The project aims to build local enterprise capacity, create market-ready products, and ensure tribal women have access to infrastructure, training, and finance.
Problems that it Intends to Solve
The project addresses several structural and contextual challenges: lack of bulk MFP availability for profitable trade, poor access to processing infrastructure, low business literacy among tribal women, and dependence on local mediators who exploit tribal gatherers. Additionally, women lacked awareness about market pricing, value chains, and branding. Absence of affordable premises for operations further complicated self-sufficiency.
What was the Need
Rajasthan’s tribal communities historically engaged in forest-based livelihoods have remained excluded from formal enterprise ecosystems. There was a pressing need to build business acumen at the grassroots, ensure value retention within the community, and promote women’s participation in economic decisions. VDVY provided an avenue to formalise tribal knowledge into collective business ventures.
What Hindered its Introduction
Initial barriers included insufficient MFP availability, poor awareness about entrepreneurship, limited government infrastructure, and lack of precedent for women-led rural enterprises. Resistance also came from families unused to seeing women take business responsibilities. There was an urgent need to introduce structured training, institutional convergence, and mentorship.
Process Followed for Implementation
The project began with a village and household-level survey to identify SHG members. Formation of 461 VDVKs followed, each comprising around 300 women. These groups received financial assistance for training and toolkits. Community cadres—Van Dhan Sakhis and Van Dhan Managers—were deployed for support. Business plans were drafted for all VDVKs and uploaded on the TRIFED portal. Simultaneously, infrastructure was developed by repurposing government buildings. Each member was trained in value addition, packaging, and marketing.
- Government Involvement
- The Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides policy and financial oversight, while TRIFED coordinates training and marketing support. The State Implementing Agency (Rajas Sangh) and RGAVP operationalise the scheme, monitor implementation, and build capacity at the district level. A total of ₹24.96 crore has been released, including ₹20.23 crore for training and ₹4.73 crore for toolkits.
- Involvement of NGOs and Community
- While the project is government-led, it is rooted in community mobilisation. Rajeevika’s SHGs form the operational base. Local resource persons, trained as Master Trainers, support skill development. Tribal women take all key decisions—from procurement to production—transforming them from gatherers to entrepreneurs.
Solutions Implemented
To overcome limited MFP supply, agriculture and horticulture produce were included. Toolkits for processing, grading, and packaging were distributed. Training modules were created in partnership with departments like Forest, Agriculture, and KVKs. Digital tools such as the TRIFED MIS and Google Sheets ensured real-time monitoring. Business activities have already started in 198 VDVKs, with value-added products such as honey, amla chutney, herbal gulal, coriander powder, and neem oil entering local and regional markets.
Details of the Coverage
As of July 2023, 461 VDVKs have been set up across eight districts, covering 1,39,329 SHG households. Around 300 members per VDVK are engaged in enterprise development. 374 of these centres now operate from dedicated buildings allotted by the district administration.
Innovation and Unique Features
VDVY is unique in its convergence-based, women-led, decentralised model. It introduces modern branding to traditional produce. Members undergo training in curating niche products like herbal soaps, gulal, and amla candy—items that reflect tribal culture and have commercial appeal. Tools such as FSSAI licensing, PAN, and Udyam registrations were facilitated for each Kendra.
- New Approaches: Tech integration, capacity building, culturally sensitive methods
- Technology integration is visible in monitoring tools (Google Forms, MPR dashboards), and data-backed planning through the TRIFED MIS. Market access has been diversified to exhibitions and local melas. Training also includes the use of value addition equipment and digital record-keeping.
- The project builds on tribal knowledge of forest resources while formalising it into structured enterprise. Women take collective decisions, define pricing, oversee production, and participate in branding processes. Every VDVK has at least one Van Dhan Sakhi leading operations, symbolising grassroots leadership.
Challenges Faced
- Initial challenges included scarcity of MFP, absence of infrastructure, and low literacy among members. During implementation, lack of quality control, limited toolkits, and weak market linkages affected performance. These were overcome through adaptive training, institutional coordination, and phased support strategies.
- Government buildings were repurposed for VDVK use. Departments were roped in to provide expert Master Trainers. Toolkits were gradually distributed. Awareness was raised via community meetings and cadre workshops. Regular updates on the TRIFED portal and local exhibitions ensured transparency and market visibility.
Outcomes
- Quantitatively, 1,28,350 women have been trained and 198 VDVKs have initiated business activities. Sales of ₹18.60 lakh have been recorded even at a nascent stage. Qualitatively, women now lead enterprises, have exposure to markets, and hold decision-making roles. Products like coriander powder and herbal gulal have become popular in fairs and exhibitions.
- A multilayered governance structure ensures real-time accountability. Monitoring is conducted by CLFs, block and district units, and the SPMU. TRIFED MIS and Rajeevika’s own digital tools ensure comprehensive data tracking. Monthly Progress Reports are compiled and shared.
- The direct beneficiaries are 1.39 lakh SHG women across eight districts. Indirectly, families, rural vendors, and tribal youth involved in logistics and retail also benefit from the localised business ecosystems created.
Replicability / Scalability / Sustainability
The project is scalable across tribal regions nationwide. Rajeevika’s presence in all 33 Rajasthan districts makes horizontal expansion feasible. Sustainability is ensured through market linkages, institutional convergence, and capacity building. A ₹3 crore expansion budget has already been earmarked for the next phase.
VDVY is embedded in the broader National Livelihoods Mission and backed by MoTA. Financial viability is supported by TRIFED and state agencies. Additional fundings like PMFME can be tapped for scaling up value chains and infrastructure.