AGARTALA, June 15 (TIWN): The Indo-German Development Cooperation Project (IGDCP), Tripura on its ambitious project has taken an initiative to train as many as jhum farmers of the state in making traditional bamboo handicraft. On its first phase a residential advance vocational training for 2 months on bamboo crafts making (bamboo baskets of different shapes, colours & size, bamboo toys and lamps) is organized by IGDC Project for 40 villagers at Sipahijala District of the land-locked state Tripura.

However welcoming the initiative taken by the IGDCP recently this month a section of farmers who are widely engaged to jhum cultivation at the hilly terrains of the state said, “The training programme in making bamboo crafts has encouraged us well with our skill on such activities would be developed at large.” They said it would also enhance the productivity of the present generation tribal youths who choose to engage themselves in jhum cultivation.

“The training would also make us all self reliant who are participating in the programme conducted by the IGDCP,” adding the farmers who are undergoing training said, “We welcome the plan and the project and we hope it would benefit us all at large.”

However, talking to another section of farmers who are yet to get the training said, “We are eyeing forward to gain knowledge through the training programme which is expected to make the jhum farmers successful entrepreneurs in future.”

The training is expected to reduce their dependence directly on the forest which in turn would help in protecting the green cover in the state. The training not only develops the skill of the trainees but also gives firsthand knowledge and exposure about the market - for both availability of raw materials and selling their products, said the official entrusted to train the farmers.

They are taught to make various items like lamp shades, baskets, bags, cups plates and decorative items. After the vocational training, they will be provided raw materials and tools to continue the trade. The training programme will help streamline the youth in the region and help them to be self-reliant.

However, these 40 nos of participants, all are male, belong to 4 smart model villages such as Mendi, South Kachucherra under Salema RD Block & balaram & Bagmara under Ambassa RD Block. Few of the participants are already received vocational training on Bamboo crafts making.

The official hoped that this advance training will definitely help the participants to raise their livelihood. Not only that they will learn how to make new products from the good shaped and quality bamboo but the waste materials also be used to produce bamboo crafts which later on the resource person will train the participants. There are 4 resource persons engaged for every 10 nos. of participants for better learning the colour used for dyeing the bamboo are extracted from natural vegetables and process has also been taught to the participants.

When asked, the participants were very happy and hoping to send their products to outside the state for fetching more price.

According to the experts the jhum cultivation is seriously affecting livelihoods and environmental security in the region. Keeping this in view, the present study was conducted to find the livelihood status of tribal people practising Jhum in Tripura.

From time immemorial, Tripura has curved out a name for itself in the field of Handicrafts. Cane/Bamboo handicrafts of Tripura are acknowledged to be among the best in the country, due to their beauty, elegance and exquisite designs. A vast range of items is produced, including Furniture, Panels, and Partitions, Table mats and other mat products, Lamp shades etc. Tripura handicrafts are also being exported to various countries.

Besides, Jhum or shifting cultivation is the dominant land-use practice of North-Eastern region of India. It is an ecological and economically viable system of agriculture as long as population densities are low and Jhum cycles are long. The population explosion and increased demand for cultivable land have resulted in reduction of Jhum cultivation cycle.