Raybaar Samiti

Creating Livelihoods through Skill Development

CONCEPT NOTE

STUDY OF NATURAL FIBERS AND ITS POTENTIAL IN CREATING LIVELIHOOD IN UTTARAKHAND

I am working for development of natural fiber for employment generation in Uttarakhand. My key areas
of focus are fiber processing, collection, supply chain management, product development and training in
rural areas.

The Himalayan region of Uttarakhand is currently facing wrath of migration, even after 19 years of the
formation of a separate state there are areas untouched by development. Amongst various other
reasons major cause is unemployment lack of effective policy making, lack of proper implementation of
existing policies, underdeveloped infrastructure, apathy towards existing resources, lack of skill
development, concentration of development in few areas of the states.

Other attributes to this is difficult living conditions, farming conditions, traditional cash crops are unable
to give profitable earnings in these hilly terrains.

Where is the problem? Where does the problem lies? what is the solution? How can growth and
development reach the much-needed areas?

Here a self-assessment is required if the present condition has to improve. This will also help in drafting
a road map to work in furtherance.

The closest example is Himanchal Pradesh where their economy is close to 1.69 lakh crore 2019-20

These attributes from

Agriculture 15%

Industry 42%

Services 43%

Their GDP growth at 8.1%

They started planning in 1948 in their 1st 5 year plan allocated about 52.7 million to Himanchal more
than 50% of this expenditure was spent on transport facilities since it was felt that without proper
transport and road infrastructure process of planning and development couldn’t be carried out.
 Raybaar Samiti
Creating Livelihoods through Skill Development

FINDING THE ROOT CAUSE OF PROBLEM IN UTTARAKHAND

To indicate the severity of condition, a report drafted on “ Outmigration from hill region of
Uttarakahand “ magnitude, challenges and policy options by Rajendra P. Mamgain and D.N. Reddy

By National Institute of rural development and panchayati Raj, Hyderabad

“the development experience of Uttarakhand over a nearly one and a half decade has been quite
encouraging in respect to achieving high economic growth. However, such growth has been mainly
centered in there plain districts of the state, and ten hill districts (hereafter referred as hill region)
remaining far behind in this increasing prosperity of the state. Due to this lopsided development, the
pace of out migration could not slow down from the hill districts of the state after its formation. Rather
it has accelerated during the recent years. This reflects in the latest census 2011.”

An absolute decline of 17868 persons in the population of Almora and Pauri Garhwal districts between
2001 and 2011 is a testimony of huge out migration. The pace of out migration is so huge that many
villages are left with a population in single digit.

“the fruits of development reached at much less than desired pace to these districts which could have
otherwise created out migration reducing impact in the form of increased opportunities of economic and
social wellbeing.”

Nearly 70 % of population lives in uttarakhand in rural areas. With literacy rates of 78.8%. A whopping
94% of the sample migrant workers from hill region of Uttarakhand are employed in salaried jobs,
though most of them being engaged in low paying petty jobs such as domestic servants, security guards,
peons, office attendants’ remittance by them contribute significantly (about 26%) to migrant
household’s income. These are particularly crucial in poor and relatively low-income group households
that nearly 50 percent.

IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON VILLAGE ECONOMY AND SOCIETY

people have abandoned their farmlands in large numbers, which had been developed by their ancestors
with their hard labor over several years. This is a common scene in districts like Pauri Garhwal and
Almora. In some villages over half of the erstwhile cultivated land is lying barren. Given the alternative,
every able-bodied person of the village, particularly young ones. Would like to discontinue his/her
farming-based livelihoods. The reason for such disenchantment include very low productivity of
agriculture, increasing menace of wild animals like monkeys, bores, bears elephants destroying crops,
and practically no technical know-how and support to diversify agriculture.
 Raybaar Samiti
Creating Livelihoods through Skill Development

ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADRESSING THE PROBLEMS

As this report carefully unveil the intricacies of the condition of Uttarakhand we know that where we
currently stand. Now the task is to carefully carve out the custom-made road map and implement it at
various levels.

To determine the requirements essential for drafting a road map for successful development plan so
that it reaches the far-flung areas, a comprehensive report drafted by planning commission on
constituting a development plan to include hilly states of Himalayan region in the progress and growth
of the country. States that “to ascertain the requirement of hilly states so that we can ensure that they
do not suffer in any way because of their peculiarities. There has to be reshaping of policies to bring in
the mountain prospective. For the Indian Himalayan region in the national planning.”

According to the task force constituted by the planning commission, Govt of India 2008 is an outcome of
need expressed. There have been opinions expressed that the pace of development of the Indian
Himalayan Region IHR has been slow when compared to the rest of the country.

According to their recommendations there must be emphasis on

1. agro horticulture-forestry skill and technology development

2. exploiting the human and natural resources to the fullest

3. development zones:

a. The development zones to be developed, forest zones should be conserved and augmented for
environmental services and biodiversity values. Such zones should also be available for sustainable bio
and NTFP, including bamboo, prospecting, and for eco-tourism.

these are a few amongst a few recommendations drafted,

HISTORY OF NTFP IN UTTARAKHAND SPECIFICALLY NATURAL FIBERS

As far as NFTP is concerned Uttarakhand has a history of NFTP category of natural fibers like hemp,
nettle, bhabhar, bheemal have been a inseperable part of culture. The hemp seeds are used to make
chutneys. Nettle leaves a high source of protein is a source of green vegetable. Nettle and hemp fiber
mixed with wool was used to make shawls and jackets by the bhotiya tribes. Bheemal was used to make
shampoo,ropes for cattle and to tie bundles of firewood and its leaves were used to feed the cattles.
Moonj grass is a traditional craft of boxa and thadu tribes and has been a source of income for them. It is
also a traditional handicraft of the tribals. Various type of baskets made out moonj grass were used as
storage containers and were organic substitute of modern Tupperware.
 Raybaar Samiti
Creating Livelihoods through Skill Development

THE LARGER PICTURE AND THE GLOBAL CENARIO

At the pace the world population is growing the continuous and infinite demand for fabrics and other
lifestyle products is a never-ending game of demand and supply. The major chunk of these products are
made from petrochemicals, synthetics, plastics.

One major hazard that the synthetics pose to the environment is that many of them take more than five
hundred years to decompose. On the other hand, most natural fibers are biodegradable and
sustainable. Because of recent issues like rising cost of petroleum- based fibers and their impact on
environmental and sustainable development, natural fibers have once again found a niche in the global
textile market.

In the foothills of Nepal’s Himalayas, the Himalayan stinging nettle plants grow naturally in the wild.
According to the center for sustainable fashion, Himalayan nettle is the longest fiber currently known to
humankind and is considered finer, stronger, and more elastic than linen. The development of this fiber
would create work and income for people of Nepal and hilly regions of Uttarakhand and Himanchal.

HIMALAYAN NETTLE A POSSIBLE BOON FOR UTTARAKHAND, THE FIBER OF THE FUTURE

Himalayan Nettle (Girardinia Diversifolia), is a perennial plant found growing in temperate and sub-
tropical himalayas, between 1200 to 2900 meters. Found to be occurring abundantly in the Garhwal
region of Uttarakhand. It was lying unexplored until 7-8 years back, when on realizing its potential in the
field of textiles, many organizations in the region-initiated Research and Development activity on the
possibilities of handloom-based product development in Nettle. Research and development in this field,
is mostly aimed at Generating livelihood opportunities for the rural people of Uttarakhand. While the
Himalayan communities in Uttarakhand, traditionally associated with extracting fibers from Nettle and
Hemp for rope making, are no longer practicing the craft, Bhotia weaver community, at Mangroli village,
Chamoli (UBFDB cluster) has learnt and mastered the technique of Nettle fiber processing.

This experimental study has explored possibilities of design intervention/product development at

different stages of fiber processing, based on the skills available with the Bhotia weaver community. As a
result, a wide range of designs-fiber, yarns, woven material and products- have been developed. Which
can have potential market value and can add effectively to the chain of existing designs in Nettle.

Based on the results, it can be concluded that nettle is laden with possibilities and opportunities, and
nettle-based design development has a lot of scope.

With the growing importance and popularity of concepts like green, eco-friendly, sustainability, etc.
Natural fibers seem to have become an obvious choice for enlightened producers and consumers of
textiles.
 Raybaar Samiti
Creating Livelihoods through Skill Development

BHEEMAL (GREVIA OPTIVIA) THE JUTE ALTERNATE FROM UTTARAKHAND

Bheemal has potential to generate economy for Uttarakhand like jute gave revolution in fibre business
to West Bengal. Bheemal has been used by people across Uttarakhand since ages. People used it to
make ropes, baskets, etc. but today it has a potential to give a sustainable alternative to lifestyle
products like rugs, mats, furnishings, etc

DRAWINGS

The vast flora fauna of Uttarakhand is vast and diverse it is well capable of sustaining livelihood for
people of Uttarakhand, as there are huge employment possibilities in these areas. Whereas correct
understanding of need for optimum policy making in these areas will work for betterment of the state at
large. Research driven initiatives to generate livelihood from NTFP can initiate livelihood generation in
remotest areas in the state. Supply chain management, market availability, design development all
constitute important aspect of these research-based activities. If achieved will create a custom-made
growth story of the state that can target uniform growth of hilly regions.