Pachamalai tribal farmers receive micro credit to improve livelihood

Trichy: The forest department has started providing micro-credit assistance to tribal farmers in the Pachamalai hills to support their cultivation activities and enhance their overall livelihoods as part of the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project for Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR)."Each farmer is receiving a credit amount of 20,000, which they can utilize to improve their livelihoods through activities such as crop farming and cattle rearing," said Thuraiyur forest range officer R Saravanan.For the financial year 2024-2025, the department has identified approximately 90 farmers across 10 villages in Trichy district - Kambur, Sikkadu, Maruthai, Erumaipatti, and Nesakulam in Thuraiyur block; Kundakadi, Perumparappu, Puthur, Nachilipatti Pudur, and Koraiyar Pudur in Uppiliapuram block - designated as ‘eco development programme' villages.An amount of 77.6 lakh has been allocated for these 10 villages, specifically to facilitate micro-credit distribution and various training programmes aimed at livelihood enhancement.Tribal farmers in Pachamalai hills grow crops such as tubers, millets, nuts, vegetables, and fruits, while also rearing goats for milk and meat. The Malaiyali community, a scheduled tribe that has inhabited these hills for centuries, remains largely underprivileged, marginalized, and below the poverty line.Officials noted that the micro-credit will empower the farmers to purchase essential farm inputs, upgrade infrastructure, establish irrigation facilities for crop cultivation, acquire livestock, procure necessary inputs for animal husbandry, enhance infrastructure, or meet operational expenses related to cattle farming.On March 13, Trichy district collector V Saravanan formally initiated the distribution of micro-credit assistance to the selected beneficiaries.