A training program has commenced in Athipet, a remote hamlet within the Jawadhu Hills of Tiruvannamalai, aimed at enhancing the skills of local tribal communities, predominantly women. The initiative focuses on teaching participants the production of mixed fruit jams, squash, and juices, utilizing locally grown red tamarind.
Organized by the Department of Tribal Welfare (Tiruvannamalai), the program seeks to establish an alternative income stream for women during the off-season of tamarind cultivation, thereby addressing existing income disparities. The region is reported to yield between 200-300 tonnes of red tamarind annually, and tribals are also permitted to collect other minor forest produce.
Future support for this endeavor includes plans for product exhibitions and online promotion. Additionally, tribal communities have access to a Tamarind Processing Unit in Athipet for free processing of their harvested tamarind.
Source: www.thehindu.com