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Mahua or Madhuca Longifolia Tree also known as Indian Butter Tree is considered to be one of the most useful trees in tribal belt of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand. The tree is considered sacred by the tribals. The flower from the tree is a Non-Timber Forest Product. The benefits of mahua flowers are immense. They are edible, they are eaten fresh or dried. The dried flowers are very popular in rural India. Its flowers are fermented to produce alcoholic drink, a country liquor and are used for medicinal purposes. The flowers fall during the months of March, April and May coinciding with the lean agriculture season, which is collected by the locals. It provides a livelihood opportunity for the village dwellers as they collect and sell mahua flowers to generate income.
Jharkhand, known as ‘the land of forests’, Mahua tree is one of the most important trees of Jharkhand. The tree provides the people with Non-Timber Forest Product such as mahua seeds, flower leaves. The most important NTFP among these is mahua flower. Mahua flower collection is source of livelihood for the village dwellers of Jharkhand.
The collection of mahua flower is generally done by women who lack economic opportunities and are vulnerable community. The collection of mahua flower has been adopted as a social responsibility of the women and by understanding the aspects that influence women to take up the activity to earn livelihood for the household. The collection the flower is done early in the morning so women sacrifice their sleep and need to alter their time use to manage their dual responsibility. This activity helps the household to sustain their livelihoods and achieve financial stability in the lean agriculture season but women who help in achieving it gets nothing. Despite taking the initiative and undergoing hardship, the collection does don’t provide financial stability to women and being part of patriarchal society, they serve and depend on male members of the household.
Social impact of collection can be linked to the economic impacts. The topic helps in understanding economic aspects such as factors that influence the profitability from mahua flower along with factors that influence the commercialization such as market decision, market access, pricing, supply location, exploitation by middlemen and role of government which is interconnected in the context of mahua flower collection. Finally understanding the livelihood impact of income from mahua flower collection through five livelihood indicators. The economic lens provides a comprehensive understanding of how mahua flower collection affects both the women community and household economics.
