RNFS

The basic concept of the project is to outline a business plan for rural entrepreneurs in manufacturing micro utility products from non wood forest fibres like water hyacinth that has a unique market demand for its green coefficient in the urban sector as the products are biodegradable, renewable and organic in nature. However, such products are often sold to niche customers at a high price as artefacts or designer items that usually have a smaller market share. The present project would attempt to compete with common micro utility products made from non biodegradable plastic or costlier metals with low cost range of produce and a green quotient. Water hyacinth fibre, which is profusely available as an exotic weed in any rural location of India can yield beautifully textured paper for making office stationeries, and silky fibres that can be twined to make various utility and household products.

Project Highlights :

• To promote eco-friendly, innovative rural technology for Purulia district from non wood fibres like water hyacinth as alternative economic opportunity for sustainable livelihood.
• To uplift the livelihood status of rural and economically challenged indigenous tribes through capacity building and financial inclusion to provide entrepreneurial initiatives.
• To device an end to end solution for production, packaging and marketing of the produce in an organized way and develops a bankable business model for further scaling up.

The agrarian villages immediately need alternative economic opportunities for sustainable livelihood which do not necessarily exploit the natural resources and assure sustainable growth. The present proposal attempts to develop small and middle scale rural entrepreneurship in manufacturing micro utility artefacts from non-wood fibre products like water hyacinth and grass, and recycled waste papers generated in urban hubs of the district using mache and moulding techniques through inclusive technology corporation and capacity building. It attempts to device an end to end solution for production, packaging and marketing of the produce in an organized way and develops a bankable business model for further scaling up. The impact assures social integrity, economic growth, and sustainable environment development for the tribal communities.