The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and Bharatiya Agro Industries Development Research Foundation (BAIF) have been allotted funds to provide livestock training to the tribals through Sumul Dairy run by the Surat District Cooperative Milk Marketing Union Ltd. The two NGOs have already brought some tribal families under the project by providing them with cattle and fodder.

“Tribal families have always been associated with agriculture. But since they depend on rains, they work only for six months. They realise their money after a year only, which makes survival difficult,” said Apurva Oza of AKRSP. The new project will ensure that they earn regular incomes from the livestock by supplying milk to Sumul Dairy. AKRSP is helping in capacity building for the tribals.

The Union government has identified and categorised the tribal population in Gujarat. Tribal groups such as the Siddis of Junagadh, Kotvalias of south Gujarat and Padhars are quite prominent in the state.

“Under the project, 90 per cent of the amount will be from the Centre, while the state government will contribute the rest 10 per cent,” Oza said.

Sumul Dairy chairman Jayesh Desai confirmed that the project is on. D P Shah, General Manager (Cooperative Services), said the project took off recently.