Women in Pathrevi village turning pine needles into livelihood
In Pathrevi village, nestled within the Karsog Forest Division of Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, 20 women have successfully completed a 10-day training programme on crafting products from pine needles. Held from November 4 to 14, the programme aimed to empower women, address climate-related challenges and diversify rural incomes.
The training was part of the Indo-German Technical Cooperation Project, Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem Services, which promotes community-driven forest management and ecosystem service conservation. Patherevi was chosen as a model site due to its rich biodiversity, including pine, cedar and oak trees, and its vulnerability to forest fires caused by dry pine needles.
Organised by the Karwan Society in collaboration with local stakeholders, the programme taught participants to transform abundant pine needles into products like mirrors, jewelry, bread boxes and decorative items. Women also learned essential skills, including material sourcing, packaging and logistical planning, tailored to their remote location.
A significant milestone was the formation of self-help groups (SHGs), enabling women to pool resources, access government schemes, and collectively market their products. These groups plan to showcase their creations at fairs and exhibitions, opening new income avenues.
The programme concluded on November 14 with a certificate distribution ceremony attended by Krishan Bhag Negi, Divisional Forest Officer of Karsog, and Satyan Chauhan, Adviser at German Development Cooperation. Both lauded the women’s efforts and emphasised the role of such initiatives in sustainable rural development.
This initiative is part of a larger Indo-German project supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. The project works with forest departments in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
