LIVELIHOODS LAUNCHES A NEW AGROFORESTRY PROJECT IN INDIA
At the confluence of the Western and Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu (south-eastern coast of India), lies the semi-deciduous scrub jungle of Ayyalur, a region rich in biodiversity and home to the Valaiyar community, traditional hunter-gatherers renowned for their foraging skills. This area also encompasses the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary, a protected wildlife zone dedicated to conserving the Gray Slender Loris, a small nocturnal animal primarily found in this region (Near Threatened in IUCN Red List). However, due to unsustainable harvesting practices and rising demand for medicinal herbs, the forests have been severely degraded.
To address these challenges, Livelihoods is launching a large-scale project in partnership with the local NGO SEEDS Trust. The initiative aims to restore the landscape and empower the Valaiyar community by transforming 8,000 hectares of private land into thriving agroforestry systems. Over the next 20 years, the project will plant 4.5 million trees and sequester 1.4 million tons of CO2.
Foraging in Ayyalur: a traditional lifestyle under pressure
The Valaiyars have long been foragers, deeply connected to the forests and skilled in harvesting a wide range of medicinal herbs and honey to fruits and aromatic plants, in other words Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). These resources have traditionally been vital for their livelihoods, and in high demand across alternative medicine and cosmetics markets. However, in recent years, the Valaiyar community has faced mounting challenges.
Over-harvesting, unsustainable practices, and the pressures of seasonal migration for alternative incomes have placed immense strain on the forests and the people who depend on them. With the impending restricted access to forests due to the establishment of the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary, the community’s ability to gather these essential resources has diminished drastically over the last few years. This, coupled with deepening poverty and rising food insecurity, has heightened the vulnerability of the community, especially women who bear the brunt of these challenges.
Livelihoods’ project is setting a new dawn for Ayyalur
In response to these pressing issues, and based on its 15-year experience in the field, Livelihoods has designed an innovative long-term agroforestry project that aims to not only restore the local landscape but also create new pathways to prosperity for the Valaiyar community. Working alongside the SEEDS Trust, a trusted local NGO with over 25 years of experience in the region, the project will create sustainable solutions that will provide new, more sustainable sources of income for the Valayiars and build back a thriving landscape.
The project will implement four key components, to combine land rehabilitation and more sustainable livelihoods for the Valayiar community:
Agroforestry at the core of the initiative:
The project will establish a diverse, multi-use agroforestry system which will integrate trees, shrubs, and tubers that provide Non-Timber Forest Products, fruits, food grains, fodder, etc. By diversifying crops and resources, the Valaiyars will be able to build more resilient livelihoods. This will not only rehabilitate a fragile environment but also offer new income sources, reducing the community’s reliance on over-exploited forests.
Bringing in resilient sources of income
A key focus is equipping the community with the skills and tools they need to thrive in the growing market for sustainable products. The project is providing training in sustainable harvesting techniques, value addition, and marketing assistance, to support the community in learning how to create and manage Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs). The training programme aims at giving them control over the value chain and increasing their bargaining power, while protecting their forest.
Boosting nutritional security
The project also aims to combat food insecurity by promoting the cultivation of native, nutrient-rich crops. These crops, such as millets, wild foods, and vegetables, were once staples of the Valaiyar diet but are now largely replaced by rice. By reintroducing them, the project will improve nutrition and reduce the community’s reliance on rice, promoting healthier diets and sustainable agriculture in this largely rainfed and drought-prone area.
Biodiversity Conservation as a driving force
A key environmental benefit of the project is its role in the potential increase in the area of occupancy of the Gray Slender Loris, a key indicator species, primarily present in this area. By improving the habitat outside the sanctuary, increasing tree cover, zero chemical pesticide usage (Slender Lorises are insectivores) and sensitizing the community about biodiversity-friendly harvest practices, the project will contribute to the long-term survival of the Loris and other wildlife species.
Moreover, with the Valaiyar community being expert honey collectors, SEEDS Trust has piloted a very successful apiculture project, which will be expanded in this project, as an incentive to high adoption of sustainable practices. The large-scale apiculture project, zero chemical fertiliser, weedicide and pesticide use and sustainable harvest of the honey, there is an expectation that the pollinator numbers will also increase.
Partnering with a deeply-rooted local NGO: SEEDS Trust
While Livelihoods provides the financial and technical expertise for this ambitious project, SEEDS Trust plays a vital role in its successful implementation on the ground. With a deep understanding of the region and its people, SEEDS Trust has earned the community’s trust over decades of work in environmental conservation and social development. Their expertise in sustainable resource management and wildlife conservation ensures that the project will be rooted in local knowledge and tailored to the needs of the Valaiyar community.
By working with local farmers, managing tree nurseries, and supporting sustainable harvesting practices, SEEDS Trust ensures that the project’s outcomes will be both environmentally and socially beneficial. Their long-standing commitment to the region is a testament to the strength of community-led conservation efforts.
Together with SEEDS Trust, Livelihoods’ initiative is creating a path forward, one that bridges the gap between tradition and transformation. By combining ancient wisdom with robust agroforestry techniques and biodiversity conservation efforts, the project aims to generate long-term benefits for the Valaiyars and fostering a deeper connection to the land they have always cherished.
Representing more than sustainable ways of farming, the project brings in a holistic approach to restoring the environment, uplifting communities, and preserving biodiversity. It offers a glimpse of solutions that bring local knowledge, sustainable practices, and innovation together.
