Creation of a tribal women's grain cooperative

Tribal populations, classified among the primitive tribes of India, are established in the Jawadhu Hills at an altitude of approximately 1000 m. These hills are full of highly nutritious forest and agro-food products, increasingly sought after by the Indian middle class concerned with healthy eating. These plants, traditionally used, can also provide the necessary proteins for the local population, particularly children. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, the Malayalee have had to adapt to the rapidly changing Indian socio-economic context. The local tribes are characterized by a low level of training and schooling, child labor, and child marriage. Women are occupied 50% of their time with agricultural activities, the proceeds of which are monopolized by middlemen.

The NGO POPE has been working in the Jawadhu Hills since 2012, supported by ASIA, on projects involving education, rights awareness, support for organic farming, and assistance in recovering farmland title deeds. During a mission conducted by ASIA and POPE, the tribal women interviewed expressed their desire to form a cooperative to sell their cereal crops and process some of their products, including Kadukkai, a medicinal herb with Ayurvedic properties.