Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part B (2024)

Abstract: Constituting approximately 8.6 percent of India's total population according to the 2011 census, the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat collectively harbour more than half of the country's tribal population. With traditional means of livelihood increasingly threatened, the issue of tribal livelihoods has assumed paramount significance. However, development strategies employed in tribal areas have failed to impact their livelihoods significantly. Against this backdrop, this paper endeavours to explore, using secondary data sources, the role of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in fostering the development of tribal farmers through its Farm Sector Development (FSD) Program, particularly in the context of the Wadi Project in Maharashtra.