The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : They earn profits by making adda leaf

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

They earn profits by making adda leaf

B.V.S. Bhaskar

— Photo-S. Rambabu

Adda leaf-women making adda leaf plates in Tallapalem village in Rampachodavaram mandal of East Godavari.

Tallapalem (Rampachodavaram): About 137 Vana Samrakshana Samitis (VSS) engaged in adda leaf plate making in this village in East Godavari Agency has changed their life pattern by earning good amount out of this activity . Under AP Community Forest Management livelihood activities, the AP Forest Department has taken up six types of activities for the benefit of tribal in Rampachodavaram, Maredumilli and Addateegala mandals.

The department involved a total of 446 VSS and taken up Bamboo value addition activity, adda leaf plate making, vermi compost, honey bee, hill broom, amla pulp making and community based eco-tourism. Under value addition activities 261 VSS were covered involving 4,654 house hold by forming 334 groups.

With the brand name of ‘Aditya’, Tallapalem tribal women started adda leaf plate making in their village and making good profits out of the business. One Community Facility Centre has been established to make adda leaf plates in huge quantity. According to B. Ananda Mohan, district forest officer, the VSS members were then trained in curing, stitching by both hand and machine and to consolidate their activity a CFC was started at Tallapalem in December’06.

During 2006-07 through the sale of 2.50 lakh adda leaf plates the VSS groups got Rs.91,000 and in 2007-08 through 1.05 lakh they earned Rs. 47, 500. “We are empowering ourselves. Now we can make 100 to 200 plates per day and earn Rs.30 to Rs.50”-said Saroja, group leader in Aditya Adda leaf centre.

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