Sustainable Livelihood
A livelihood is sustainable when it can not only weather challenges but also enhance its capabilities and assets for the future, all while respecting our natural resources.
In the tapestry of India’s development journey, tribal communities have been at the heart of careful attention and planning, aiming to elevate their socio-economic status and living standards. Despite numerous state interventions, historical oppressions, land alienation, and social discrimination have continued to marginalise these communities. Kerala’s development model, while achieving significant strides, has also highlighted the persistent socio-economic challenges faced by Scheduled Tribes in the state (KSTDD 2013).
Structural and institutional lapses, coupled with the aftermath of the 2018 floods, have intensified the struggles of tribal households in Pathanamthitta and Kulathupuzha. Over 54.4% of Scheduled Tribe families in Pathanamthitta district find themselves below the poverty line (KSTDD 2013), underscoring the urgent need for targeted and context-specific interventions to address livelihood disruptions.
In response to these critical needs, the Sustainable Livelihood Development Programme is now underway. Thanal’s livelihood work focuses on enabling economically viable and ecologically sustainable pathways through approaches such as organic farming practices and zero-budget natural farming systems, while strengthening community capacities and ownership. Through these efforts, Thanal seeks to uplift marginalised communities in Pathanamthitta, Kulathupuzha, and other forest-linked regions, empowering them not only to cope with challenges but to build resilient and self-reliant livelihoods over the long term.
Our Objectives Speak Volumes
Smart Livelihood Practices
Embrace sustainable practices, from livestock rearing to skill development, unlocking regional opportunities
Community Unity
We’re fostering unity through organized communities and strategic interventions
Economic Empowerment
Elevate socio-economic conditions and overall well-being through targeted initiatives.
Women and Youth Empowerment
Empower women and youth through skill development, transforming them into catalysts for change
Migration Mitigation
Keep communities strong by creating local, sustainable livelihood options.
Latest News and Updates
NABARD Launches First Integrated tribal development program in Kollam
Kulathupuzha, 08/07/2024: NABARD Launches its first Integrated tribal development project at Kulathupuzha, Kollam. The project was inaugurated by Mr. Baiju N Kurupp, Chief general Manager of NABARD on 8 th july at Kadamankode, Mahadeval Temple by distributing Tree saplings and organic manure to tribal village heads of the selected tribal hamlets.Also he visited various tribal hamlets, interacting with the beneficiaries and planted a tree sapling to mark the beginning of the initiative.
Currently, the project aims at providing sustainable livelihoods and agricultural advancement, targeting 413 families residing in 8 hamlets, on a five-year trajectory. ‘Nabard’s goal is rural prosperity. It is achievable only when a trilateral Panchayat administration, Voluntary organizations, and the people come together. By the fifth year of the program, the beneficiaries may achieve economic progress, strengthen their livelihoods in a sustainable manner and set an example for comprehensive development in Kerala’ emphasized Nabard’s Chief General Manager on his inaugural speech.
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The project will encompass various agricultural initiatives, along with water resource development, leadership training, skill development centers, and sanitation initiatives. The Tribal Farmer Producer Company, which facilitates branding, marketing, and enables sustainable development, is a significant component of the initiative.
“We believe this will be a two-fold development as it is the first project to involve us in conceptualization, which considers our lifestyle, cultural significance and environment along with the socio economic conditions of our hamlet.” P R Santhosh, Member of Kadamankode ward, opined.
C. Jayakumar, Executive Director of Thanal, the project implementing agency of the project, provided a brief overview of the project. The event was chaired by Laila Beevi, President of the Kulathupuzha Gram Panchayat, and attended by Rajashekharan Kani (President, V.P.C.), E.K. Sudheer (Block Panchayat Member), S. Chandrakumar (Chairman, Health Education – Standing Committee, Kulathupuzha), Rakhimol (D.D.M., NABARD), Muhammad Shaiju (Tribal Extension Officer), P. Thankappan Kani (Village Head, Villumala), and Appukuttan Kani (Village Head, Kuzhavikode), who offered felicitations in the program.
Sustainable Livelihood Program Sparks Community Upliftment in Kurumbanmoozhi
In the quaint tribal hamlet of Kurumbanmoozhi, the Pulari Self-Help Group, born out of the TDF program, is creating waves of positive change. Originally selling dried fish, their vision expanded after a training session on fodder cultivation, leading them to embrace tapioca and plantain cultivation for additional income.
Witnessing success, the Pulari group decided to pay it forward. They raised funds to provide medical grants and distributed essential food items to the less fortunate in a nearby orphanage. The 15-member group actively participates in posthumous ceremonies, offering consolation and financial aid to grieving families.
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Sindhu, the group’s Secretary, expresses gratitude to NABARD and Thanal for empowering them to contribute to community development. She emphasizes that supporting families in need is a privilege.
The Pulari Self-Help Group is a testament to how a sustainable livelihood program not only secures individual livelihoods but also fosters community bonds, offering a helping hand to those in need and instilling hope in their community.
Empowering Tribal Youth:Para-Vetenary Training Program
In a breakthrough initiative, the collaborative efforts of NABARD, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, and Thanal have culminated in a highly successful Para-veterinary training program at KVK Thadiyoor. Guided by Dr. Sency Mathew, thirteen individuals from five hamlets have emerged as a proficient Para-vet group after ten days of transformative training. Armed with enhanced skills in animal husbandry, this group is now not only capable of providing emergency medical aid in tribal settlements but also symbolizes a significant stride towards self-sufficiency in the community. The practical exposure gained, including a visit to a hi-tech dairy farm in Kuriyottumala, Kollam, reinforces advanced farming techniques, fostering a sense of independence and resilience among tribal youth. This remarkable outcome marks a decisive step in empowering the tribal community towards sustainable and self-sufficient livelihoods.
Climate Resilient Communities
This campaign stems from two roundtable discussions held in Kerala between September 2016 and January 2017. Thanal, Climate Action Network South Asia, Phia, and UNICEF’s climate change and disaster risk […]
Zerowaste and Climate Action
Zero waste is a unique way one looks at resources – one of the forward looking relevant and profound ways that modern societal change is envisaged in the world today. […]
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Sovereignty
Thanal promotes and supports a sustainable form of agriculture which ensures: Restoration and Protection of biodiversity and the environment. Enhanced incomes for farmers and their families. Food safety and security […]
Living Ecosystem
The current ‘Development’ paradigm unfortunately do not consider the totality of eco systems which supports lives and livelihoods of people. The engines of ‘Development’ which are motivated by temporary profits […]