How tribal farmers in Idukki have become self-dependent in a period of five years

In 2014, the Kerala Forest Department of Marayoor division in Idukki district started a local open market called ‘Chilla’ (Protection in English), to ensure the farmers at tribal settlements in the region got a fair price for their organically-grown agricultural produce. Five years since the initiative, Chilla has turned into a success story as the sales turnover at the market place touched Rs 2 crore in October.

Families from 40 tribal colonies of the Marayoor and Kanthaloor panchayaths in Idukki have been selling their farm produce and livestock at Chilla for years now. These tribals have been cultivating vegetables in the forest areas through organic methods, using cow dung, farm waste and green manure instead of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Run by the Periyakudi Vana Samrakshana Samithi (a forest management programme), the Chilla open market functions every Thursday at Marayoor Sandal Division office in Idukki.

Once the tribal people bring their goods to the open market, the authorities at Chilla will fix a price for the products and then conduct an open auction in the presence of the respective farmers.

“The main aim of the market is to help the farmers sell their products and livestock from their tribal settlements at a reasonable price. This will ensure them a steady income,” Marayoor Divisional Forest Officer B Ranjith tells TNM. 

“Before forming Chilla, the tribal farmers faced huge exploitation from middlemen vendors. Earlier, they received Rs 1 for one kg of gooseberry and now they get Rs 26 per kg. Earlier, one kg of pointed gourd (Kattupadavalam) was sold at Rs 50 and now they get Rs 250,” elucidates Ranjith.

Chilla is being headed by Marayoor Sandal division’s former Divisional Forest Officer Saby Varghese and range officers MG Vinod Kumar and PK Vipindas.

Traders from Madurai, Kattappana, Thodupuzha, Adimali, Pollachi, Udumalpaet, Ernakulam and Marayoor also participate in the auctions, says KV Binoji, a co-ordinator of Chilla.

“The speciality of the market is that the quantity of the produce does not matter here,” says Binoji. “The products available here range from small green chillies (Kanthari Mulaku), lemon, egg, cow, goat, beans, wild honey, ginger, plantains, tubers and all types of vegetables.”

Chilla is also the success story of the tribal women. “Earlier, the tribal women had to depend on men for their daily needs. But now, many are engaged in small-scale farming and have been earning money. Besides, due to the assured market and money, tribal families more active in farming and has promoted self-dependency among tribal settlements,” says Binoji.