FORESTS TO FORTUNE

A rural Chhattisgarh initiative empowers tribal women to brand and market pure, traditional produce, opening new livelihood opportunities

- RAHUL NORONHA

A portmanteau born from the lush, unspoiled forests of Jashpur in northern Chhattisgarh, Jashpure is more than a brand name.

It's the shared identity of over 50 all-women self-help groups (SHGs). Conceived in February 2024 by then district magistrate Ravi Mittal, the initiative tackles the hurdles SHGs face in selling their wares and helps tribal communities find markets for their processed produce. As its name suggests, Jashpure champions purity—a quality easier to preserve in these tribal regions, where the soil remains far less polluted by chemical fertilisers than in the plains.