Poverty to prosperity: Rubber cultivation transforms lives of Gajapati’s tribal farmers

Once battling poverty, several tribal villages in Odisha’s Gajapati district have now found a steady and sustainable livelihood through rubber farming, a venture that has turned into a symbol of economic empowerment and rural development, sources said on Sunday.

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Spearheaded by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Parlakhemundi town and supported by the Rubber Board, rubber cultivation began around 25 years ago on an experimental basis.

Initially, 6,400 saplings were planted across 15 hectares. Now-a-days, more than 400 hectares across over 20 villages such as Munising, Barangasing, Upper Abasing, Sukai, and Tarabha are flourishing with rubber plantations.

The process involves extracting latex from mature trees, which begins after eight years of planting. This latex is mixed with chemicals, dried, and then processed into usable rubber. With minimal labour and modern equipment, farmers have embraced this long-term profitable venture.

Currently, a single farming family earns up to Rs 1 lakh per year from rubber cultivation, enabling better family sustenance, children’s education, and improved quality of life. The project has not only generated employment but has also instilled confidence and self-reliance among the tribal communities.

Thanks to structured training and efficient implementation, these villages — once struggling — have now secured a firm place on the development map.

“We have cultivated rubber on around an acre of farmland and have nearly 200 plants on it. We usually cultivate rubber from August to January every year. Around 200 ml of latex is produced by a plant in a day,” a rubber farmer, Abiyel Nayika, told OTV.

“We collect the latex from each plant in the evening and then mix it with acid. In turn, we press it with the help of a machine and subsequently send it for further processing,” another farmer, Anat Mandal, stated when contacted.

Reported By: Adarsh Das