Wardha, October 30, 2015: Under the Working with Communities initiative, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in technical collaboration with Centre of Science for Villages (CSV) organised a three-day training programme for three selected members each from Nagzira and Dr Anandi Gopal Self Help Groups (SHG) at the Women’s Science Park, CSV Campus, Wardha. The training was held from September 28–30, 2015, on sustainable collection of forest resources and value addition to the final products as NTFP collection is the secondary source of livelihood for villagers in this area.

In the last three years, five trainings have been conducted and two of the Self Help Groups (SHGs) from Sondlagondi and Khamtalav have been actively involved in sustainable collection and value addition of selected products. To make them self-reliant for future, it was decided to train some of the active members of the SHGs as trainers.

The first day of the training kick started with prayer which was followed by a reading from My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi in Marathi. After that the trainees met Dr Soham Pandya, Executive Director, CSV and the trainer Ratna Pandya. During the meeting, Dr Pandya urged the trainees to change their mindset on resources and how they are considered worthless. He said, “We need to understand the importance of natural resources available with us and focus on how to use these resources cautiously and preserve them for future generations.”

Thereafter, the training began wherein Ratna Pandya and Sheila Aglawale sought feedback from the trainees on the products they make, their experiences, and difficulties faced in collection, manufacturing, packaging, storage, and selling of these products. They were also asked on how they manage book keeping and stocks. Based on their feedback, it was decided to teach them management skills that includes book keeping, handling customers and product pricing.

During the training the trainees learnt about, the processing of Aanwala candy and pickle being done at the centre. Later, based on the feedback by trainees on preserving Ambadi drink, they were taught another method for preparing the drink with increased its shelf life by a week.

The second day witnessed oral presentation by the trainees on what was taught a day before which was followed by final processing of Aanwala candy and pickle, ambadi drink with longer shelf life, lemon pickle and coffee from tarotta seeds.

They were also told about the importance of maintaining job registers, stock registers, sales registers and bill books. The trainees were briefed on how to display products at stalls or shops and its importance in contributing to sales.

Later in the day, the trainees were taken to Wardha city to visit Wardhini – a shop managed under Maharashtra Rural Development Ministry that purchases products from different SHGs and sells under their brand name. Similar visits to Magandeep – a cooperative of NGOs that purchases products from SHGs and sells them in their store – and Vish Mukth Dhanya Bhandar — another farmer’s cooperative that purchases products directly from farmers and SHGs — was also organised.

The third day began with oral presentation on previous days learning after which packaging and labeling of products was taught. After packaging of products, the trainees were asked to work out the costing of the products manufactured by them and conduct a mock drill wherein they were asked to handle customers and answer their questions about different products.

Thereafter, an introduction to CSV’s work was organised followed by a meeting with farmers from Beed district. The trainees were introduced to preparing milk and other products from soybean. “Although the training was organised to develop the trainees as trainers for future expansion, it exposed their weaknesses in becoming good trainers. But they do admit that the training visit had been helpful in filling their knowledge gaps and capacity building which they lacked before. It’s too early to make them trainers but yes they can now perform the role of co- trainers,” said Anil K Nair, Project Lead, WTI.

WTI under Central India Tiger Habitat Securement Project is working for the securement of Nagzira Nawegaon corridor in Gondia district since 2011 with communities to reduce their dependence on forest resources and its sustainable utilization for sustenance and livelihood.