Empowering Women and Fighting Climate Change: The Role of Semialata Plants in Lac Production in Kanker

Diversifying income-generating opportunities for rural communities is crucial for sustainable development.

In Kanker, the introduction of lac production, along with other interventions around available natural resources and livestock, has been successful in providing better income. However, the process has been difficult for women, especially when it comes to climbing lac host trees (Kusum, Ber, etc.) for various intercultural activities like inoculation, treatment for fungus, pruning, or harvesting.

While it is not that rural women cannot do it, reducing their dependence on such labour-intensive activities is crucial for their empowerment. In this regard, the Semialata plant (Flemingia Semialata) has emerged as a promising option. The shrubby leguminous plant is fast-growing, possesses a short stature, has a satisfactory coppicing response, and can be easily inoculated with lac insects after one year of plantation. Moreover, it is a dwarf tree that is easy to manage and often cultivated in kitchen gardens, making it a women-friendly tree.

Apart from providing livelihoods, the Semialata plantation has also been instrumental in carbon sequestration, which has recently become crucial for addressing climate change. A study conducted by ICAR-IINRG on carbon sequestration by lac-producing trees found that Semialata, while being intercropped, also acts as a carbon sink functional at the household level. The tree corresponds to 1583.33 kg carbon per hectare above ground and 2229.6 kg carbon per hectare below ground.

In Kanker, beneficiaries have planted more than 10,000 Semilata trees on 1.35 hectares of land, in 2021 sequestering almost 5147.45 kg of carbon. This positive impact is likely to increase as the district sees a surge in lac cultivation, implying a spill-over effect of lac production through Semialata plantation.

Udyogini's effort in developing livelihoods is not only empowering women but also moving towards carbon-positive efforts. By promoting the cultivation of Semialata trees, Udyogini is helping rural communities in Kanker to diversify their income streams while also contributing to climate change mitigation.