Tambul Leaf Plates

Empowers rural manufacturers to produce areca nut leaf plates.
2013 SEED Low Carbon Award; IKI BMU
Green Technologies
Barpeta
India

Tambul Leaf Plates produces and markets biodegradable disposable dinnerware through various community-owned micro-enterprises. Products are made from the fallen sheath of the areca nut palm, so the product is environmentally friendly and provides a viable alternative to highly polluting plastic and Styrofoam plates. The enterprise helps rural producers across villages in North-East India to establish micro-enterprises through capacity-building and technical, financial and marketing support. The plates are purchased from the rural producers.

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Tambul Leaf dinnerware reduces pollution and deforestation while local communities gain a livelihood through its production and sale.
  • Increasing the earnings of low-income rural families.
  • Providing entrepreneurial and production skills training to rural villagers.
  • Increasing the economic independence of women, as most of those collecting raw materials are female.
  • Environmentally friendly production.
  • Reducing pollution from dinnerware by providing a biodegradable disposable alternative.
  • Protecting local ecosystems and avoiding deforestation by reducing the dependence on timber as a source of livelihood.
  • Generating additional, steady income for rural producers.
  • Providing technical assistance and capacity-building aimed at boosting efficiency and productivity.
  • Increasing revenues by expanding activities into other North-Eastern states of India.

Partners

Tambul Leaf Plates promotes production of areca nut leaf plates as a livelihood option amongst rural communities in Northeast India, providing training, technical, financial and marketing assistance to the rural producers to enable them to establish their areca nut leaf plate making enterprises. Tambul Leaf Plates provides 100% buy back guarantee to the rural producers and purchases the plates at a fair price. 

Tamul Plates Marketing Private Ltd. (TPMPL) leads the enterprise, supporting rural micro-enterprises engaged in plate production and marketing the plates to consumers.

Dhriiti – The Courage Within initiated TPMPL and supports the enterprise with monitoring, guidance and in-kind and staff support.

Axum Agri helps TPMPL spread their activities to other areas, and provides training and technical assistance to communities.