IIT Delhi Signs Agreement With TRIFED To Help Tribal Forest Dwellers Under UBA

New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi), on Saturday signed an agreement with Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) for Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) to introduce tribal forest dwellers engaged in minor forest produces to newer processing technologies, product innovation, mentorship and transformational digital systems.

The tripartite agreement signed by TRIFED, IIT Delhi (on behalf of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan) and Vijnana Bharati, a science movement, opens the gates for ‘best of brains in the country to attend to problems of sustainable tribal livelihoods.’

An NDTV report quoted Managing Director TRIFED Pravir Krishna as saying, “TRIFED was actively working on convergences with various ministries for ‘Skill development for Tribal Livelihoods’. It is important to ensure ’round the year income-earning opportunity’ for tribals by engaging them in a variety of economic activities ranging from agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, medicinal and aromatic plants etc, going beyond Minor Forest Produces.”

Moreover, tribal entrepreneurs under TRIFED’s Van Dhan programme will be able to get access to the expertise of entire network of more than 2,600 academic and research institutions under UBA.

The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan programme connects educational institutions with villages that could use their design and technological interventions.