Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme (OTELP)
Tribal in Orissa are among the most marginalized communities in the State, with long-standing issues pertaining to their rights and entitlements hindering the development process. The Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme (OTELP) were initiated in 2004 to address some of these issues and to bring the tribal into the mainstream of comprehensive development. OTELP is jointly implemented by the Government of India, the Scheduled Tribe and Schedule Caste Development Department, Government of Orissa, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), and the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP).
Orissa Tribal Empowerment & Livelihoods Programme (OTELP) is being implemented by BISWA in Rayagada- a predominantly tribal district of Orissa. Facilitating and strengthening participatory processes is a fundamental requirement of the project.The objective of the Programme is to ensure that livelihoods and food security of the poor tribal households are sustainably improved through promoting a more efficient, equitable, self-managed and sustainable management of natural resources through off-farm and non-farm enterprise development. The six components of OTELP are:
- Capacity building for community empowerment;
- Livelihoods enhancement;
- Support for policy initiatives;
- Development Initiatives Fund;
- Programme management;
- Food handling
These components underscore promotion of participatory processes, building community-based institutions, and fostering self-reliance, while respecting the indigenous knowledge and values of tribals. As a facilitating organization, BISWA offers necessary services to ensure that the livelihoods and food security of poor tribal households are sustainable and improved through promoting a more efficient, equitable, self-managed and sustainable exploitation of the natural resources at their disposal and through off-farm/non-farm enterprise development.
As per the programme design, the basic community level organizations at the village level are the Self Help Groups, the Village Level Sub Committees at the village level and the Village Development Committees at the micro watershed level. Besides, community organizations like Village Social & Financial Audit subcommittee, Vana SangrakhanaSamiti, Common Interest Groups, User Groups etc. are being actively promoted during the programme implementation.