URAVU Indigenous Science & Technology Study Centre

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Leo Cox
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1 URAVU Indigenous Science & Technology Study Centre Thrikkaipetta Post, Wayanad District, Kerala, India Phone: / Websites:

2 Uravu: Activity Profile URAVU INDIGENOUS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY STUDY CENTRE is a registered, non-profit trust located at Thrikkaipetta village in Wayanad district, Kerala state, South India. Uravu promotes practices and policies for Sustainable Development through an end to end program using bamboo, the green gold. The activities of the trust are aimed at augmenting natural resource base, enhancing local skills and processing technologies, value addition of rural resources through social enterprises and marketing of environment-friendly rural products. The Vision However, deforestation, environmental degradation and shift to cash cropping at the cost of food farming have adversely affected the livelihood of most traditional communities. The substitution of traditional small-scale commodity production based on local agro-based raw materials with the factory system of production has by now marginalized several traditional occupational groups and devalued their skills. Re-establishing the control of marginalized occupational groups over raw materials, production technologies and market processes is of critical importance in social interventions for inclusive development. It is also essential that such efforts should be participatory and based on upgrading local knowledges, skills, technologies and resource bases. It is this vision that drives Uravu. Eco Tourism Skill training Estblishing cluster of production units Access to and control over natural resources is a key to the well being of traditional communities and indigenous people. Resource regeneration & ecorestoration Providing Marketing Support

3 Uravu runs a Training and Design centre and a Common Facilities Centre (CFC) for bamboo craft in the village. The Design Centre provides training in bamboo processing and provides escort services to the trained groups for establishing viable production units -- micro enterprises, selfhelp groups and industrial cooperatives. The Uravu CFC ensures backward linkages to various micro enterprises and self-help groups engaged in bamboo processing by supplying treated, semi-processed raw materials. Uravu Eco Links Ltd. The public limited company promoted by Uravu trust provides marketing support and business development services to the producer groups Forests. Since the establishment of the nursery in 1998, Uravu has been conducting periodic bamboo propagation and planting programs. Skill Training Has provided training in bamboo craft to members of various organizations all over the State.. The bamboos used by the production units are sourced mostly from local homestead farms, providing a source of income to small farmers. Recognizing the services of Uravu, the Government of Kerala has allowed Uravu to extract a small quantity of bamboos from the forests. In order to replenish the bamboo resources, Uravu runs a bamboo nursery that generates and supplies planting materials of varied species of bamboos to local farmers, selfhelp groups, eco clubs, local selfgovernments and even the Department of Conducts Special Training programmes for disadvantaged people palliative care patients, HIV positive groups etc. Provided Orientation Training for traditional bamboo artisans in the state.

Conducts design development workshops for enhancing product diversity of production units Continuous technical and managerial supports provided. Present production worth Rs. 30 lakhs per annum.

4 Conducts design development workshops for enhancing product diversity of production units Continuous technical and managerial supports provided. Present production worth Rs. 30 lakhs per annum. Conducts R&D on product and process stabilization in handicraft Establishing Cluster of Production units Plans to launch a production unit for agarbatti sticks Promoted Micro Enterprise for Bamboo shoot pickles in Thrikkaipetta village Has established 9 Micro Enterprises (ME) and 10 self-help groups engaged in production of bamboo crafts ME for Dry flowers - Self Help Group for Bamboo and Jute bags ME for bamboo blinds and curtains Highlights Direct employment created: 200 people belonging to Below Poverty Level families More than 99% of the beneficiaries are women. Community profile of ME members: - ST/SC- 42%, OBC- 15%, Minorities- 32% & General- 11% MEs with assured backward and forward linkages - i.e., supply of treated/semi processed raw materials and buy back of products for marketing assured by Uravu. Cluster Development Program Implementing Project for establishing Kalpetta Bamboo Cluster with the support of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises under the SFURTI Scheme of Khadi and Village Industries Commission

Rural Business Hub for Bamboo Products Implementing the Program for Establishing Rural Business Hub for Bamboo Products in the Kalpetta Bamboo Cluster, assisted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj,

(UELL), public limited company, for marketing rural products UELL runs retail outlets Participates in trade fairs and exhibitions E-marketing Links corporate buyers with rural producers Conducts

5 Rural Business Hub for Bamboo Products Implementing the Program for Establishing Rural Business Hub for Bamboo Products in the Kalpetta Bamboo Cluster, assisted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India. Providing Marketing Support Promoted Uravu Eco Links Ltd. (UELL), public limited company, for marketing rural products UELL runs retail outlets Participates in trade fairs and exhibitions E-marketing Links corporate buyers with rural producers Conducts participatory bamboo cultivation programs Cultivation of bamboo and reeds for ecosystem restoration and resource regeneration Implements UNDP- SGP project Conservation and Sustainable Management of Non- Timber Forest Products through a Participatory approach in the Western Ghats, Kerela in Begur, Wayanad Eco Tourism Runs community-led eco-tourism program in Thrikkaipetta village Established home-stays in the village. Implements schemes to develop Thrikaipetta village as Bamboo Village. Eco restoration & Resource Enhancement Grows a Travelers Forest in Thrikkaipetta village. Runs a Bamboo Nursery supplies planting materials of over 20 species of bamboos to farmers, Local Self Governments, the Dept. of Forests etc.

Training Workshop for State Mission Directors on National Bamboo Database web portal at Van Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 1 st July

Training Workshop for State Mission Directors on National Bamboo Database web portal at Van Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 1 st July 2015-07-13 Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture,