In the post Covid era, health and fitness have assumed special significance. In their search for a healthy lifestyle, more and more people are opting for healthy eating and choosing organic food. Seeing the trend, food producers and farms are also reinventing themselves as organic-certified. But there’s one more tag trending these days. It is wildlife-friendly products!

If you are not aware, wildlife friendly products do not harm animals or flora and fauna. Such products are grown in fences-free farms where birds and animals can freely move around. Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) offers such products under its ‘Vanopahar’ label. The word ‘vanopahar’ means ‘product of forest’ and the good thing is that for the first time in Kerala, such forest products are available online, too. All this has been possible because of the efforts of MD of Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC), 1990-batch IFS officer Prakriti Srivastava.

Indian Masterminds interacted with Ms. Srivastava to find out more about the Vanopahar initiative.

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VANOPAHAR

KFDC’s Vanopahar products such as cardamom, pepper and coffee are wildlife friendly, available in re-sealable packs, and can be enjoyed anywhere in the country as they are available online. The special thing about this brand is that proceeds of the sale go towards the welfare of forest communities. Recently, Minister of Forest and Wildlife, Kerala, Mr. AK Saseendran inaugurated the online sale of KFDC products by placing the first order in presence of Ms. Prakriti Srivastava. 

THE PRODUCTS

Speaking to Indian Masterminds, Ms. Srivastava said, “We have been producing cardamom,pepper and coffee in KFDC. It is being done in a completely organic and wildlife-friendly atmosphere. We have rebranded it and called it Vanopahar. Earlier, it was available in our outlets in Kerala only. Now, have tied up with Amazon and put it online. So, this wonderful product is available anywhere in India. Orders are already pouring in for all our products.”

FIRST TIME IN KERALA

This is the first time in Kerala that a forest product is being sold online. “As this product is available at very reasonable prices, all the money we earn through it, goes for the welfare of the forest communities living in the KDFC forest areas,” the officer said.

ORGANIC AND WILDLIFE FRIENDLY

The cultivation of cardamom near a tiger reserve area in Gavi has been made completely organic and wildlife friendly so that there is no harm to environment and wildlife. Ms. Srivastava said, “When you do inorganic farming and use pesticide, then all the micro flora and fauna die. This impacts birds and reptile populations,and green areas. So, when we go organic, then all the wildlife, including micro flora and fauna, are saved.”

She also informed that they do not use fences for their farms. “If there are no fences, then animal can freely move around. So, our quantity gets impacted, but our quality improves. And, more than that, no wildlife population is disturbed in the whole farming process.”

She added that even elephants move around freely in their farms without any disturbance. “Yes, our production is not much high, but forest value is much better.”

LIVELIHOOD

This initiative is also creating livelihood for the tribal people living in forest areas. Ms. Srivastava said, “We provide them jobs, they are also working on our farms. We have created a ‘KFDC Fund for Labour Cause’, which is instrumental for betterment of people living inside forest areas in Gavi, Munnar and Mananthavady. As a result, livelihood security improved.”

KFDC TURNAROUND

The story of KFDC is also an interesting one. A loss-making organisation for years has been converted into a high profit-making one, and all because of the efforts of a lady IFS officer. Ever since 1990-batch officer Prakriti Srivastava took over Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KDFC) as Managing Director in 2021,things started looking up. Established in 1975, KDFC registered 6 crore loss last year, but as of now, it has already achieved 6.34 crore profits, an all-time high in its history. Ms. Srivastava says that four things matter for any organisation to be successful. First, honesty and integrity; second, hard work; third, fairness; and fourth, always thinking what we can do for the organisation.

KFDC Product Buy Links: Vanopahar Cured Cardamom

Vanopahar Black pepper