Quote:Organic coffee farming is transforming the lives of tribal communities in Odisha’s Koraput district

Satyasundar Barik

A wide variety of spices and fruits grown in the coffee field diversifies the income of tribal farmers
Not too long ago, Surya Chhautia was ready to give up on a 100-acre coffee plantation in Golur village in Odisha’s Koraput district. The plantation had been lying unattended, yielding little.

But today, Chhautia, 39, from the Valmiki community, is leading a campaign to add another 100 acres to the plantation and to turn his fellow villagers into coffee growers. Koraput, situated in the Eastern Ghats at a height of 3,000 feet above sea level, is known as much for its picturesque hills and streams as it is for its organic coffee. Koraput’s cool climes make it ideal for coffee growing.
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Coffee plantation indeed appears to be a win-win proposition for the tribal and Dalit communities of Koraput. The shade plantation needed for coffee prevents soil erosion on the sloping terrain and stabilises the micro-climate. A wide variety of spices and fruits grown in the coffee field diversifies the income of tribal farmers in a backward region. The farmers also meet their fuel wood needs from fallen branches of shade trees. And coffee may well be a way out of conflict in this violence-hit area.
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Mission Shakti works with the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) to create producers’ groups among coffee growers and give working capital of up to ₹1 lakh to each group, and ₹2.04 lakh for institution and capacity building. ORMAS supports the groups while the Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation of Odisha takes care of training.