Highlights
Burhanpur district did wonders by starting employment by making Rakhi from banana fibres which were thrown away to rot
Sandeep Paroha, Naiduniya Burhanpur. A small district of Madhya Pradesh, Burhanpur, has shown a new path to those states which cause severe damage to the environment by dumping the remaining waste after harvesting and burning stubble.
The women of the district are not only contributing towards curbing air pollution by extracting fibres from discarded banana stems and making dozens of products like rakhi, handbags, baskets, puja mats etc. but are also writing a new chapter of self-reliance and women empowerment.
Until two years ago, after harvesting the banana crop, farmers here used to cut its stem and throw it on the sides of the roads, which used to spread rot and dirt. On the initiative of Collector Bhavya Mittal and CEO District Panchayat Srishti Deshmukh, Rural Livelihood Mission first formed self-help groups of women in the villages and made them skilled in this work by giving them training from experts including Mallima NGO of Tamil Nadu. As a result, more than 250 women of the district are now earning lakhs of rupees annually by extracting fibers from banana stem and preparing eco-friendly public utility material.
Fatehpur’s women made five thousand rakhis
Useful items are being made from banana fibre in Fatehpur, Daryapur, Mohammadpura, Khaknar etc. of the district. Out of these, the women of Fatehpur village have been given the responsibility of making rakhis. About 150 women from seven groups of the village prepare these rakhis. According to Santamati Khalko, District Head of Ajeevika Mission, women have prepared more than 5000 rakhis, which are being liked a lot. There is demand for them from the nearby districts as well.
95 percent organic produce
These rakhis and other materials made from fibers extracted from banana stems are 95 percent organic. The middle part of the rakhi, the string, is also made from the fiber of the banana stem. A very small amount of paper is used to make it attractive. Even to stick the string and fibers, glue is made from the juice extracted from banana flowers. This is the reason that after use, when they are put in the garden or pot, they easily turn into organic fertilizer.
One district, one product included in
The main crop of Burhanpur district is banana. It has been included in the One District, One Product scheme of the Central Government. Due to this, the government is also providing financial assistance and loans to self-help groups as well as other youth to prepare banana related products. The district administration is also providing market for these products. This year also Rakhi stalls have been set up at other places including the Collectorate and Railway Station.
Banana is cultivated in more than 20 thousand hectares. In Burhanpur district, banana is cultivated in more than 20 thousand hectares. This is the main crop of the district. Bananas from here are available in Gulf countries like Iran, Iraq etc. Khushboo Tiwari, Farzana Tadvi, Shahnaz B, Bhuri Bai etc., head of Shubham Self Help Group of Fatehpur say that they are earning good income by making Rakhis and other items from banana fiber. This has also increased their respect in the family.
We have started the work of extracting fibers from the waste banana stems through women self-help groups and making Rakhi and other household items from them. This is empowering women economically. The district administration is also providing market to the groups. – Santamati Khalko, District Head Rural Livelihood Mission