Evaluation of a project on lac cultivation and processing in the Balod divisional forest area of Chhattisgarh

A special project on Lac Cultivation and Processing was implemented in Balod divisional forest area of Chhattisgarh states by the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Ltd. (CGMFP) Raipur. The aims of the project were to provide required input materials like broodlac, pesticides, tools and implements, capacity building programme on scientific lac cultivation, and providing the post harvest management facilities to the beneficiaries. This study was conducted in the Balod divisional forest area of Chhattisgarh state to evaluate the project. To evaluate the project, 5% beneficiaries i.e. 25 from Nalkasa, Mathena and Ghotiya NWFP Cooperative Societies were randomly selected and the data were collected through interview schedule on various aspects of lac cultivation and about this scheme. The data related to method of lac cultivation, production and income generated were recorded. It was intimated by the beneficiaries that market value of the produce was transferred in the bank accounts of SHG members and it was evidences in the form of approved official records i.e. bank passbook. It seems that the planning and implementation of the scheme were satisfactory whereas Small Scale Lac Processing Unit establishment was not fully utilized at the project site; in this reference an extra efforts are required for making full utilization of processing unit at primary level for processing and value addition. It was observed that Non-credit inputs were major motivation factor for the members of SHGs for scientific lac cultivation. It was also observed that a total of 25 kit including non-credit inputs like Secateurs, Dauli / Pruning knives were provided to beneficiaries and utilized by the beneficiaries at the time of pruning and to prune subsequently among identified 25 SHGs across 21 villages.