NEW DELHI: With lakhs of tribal artisans and craftsmen staring at uncertainty as stocks are piling up since the lockdown came into effect and a bigger livelihood challenging ahead, the government is now working on a tribal rural commerce model through a dedicated e-market place. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Federation of India is working on a prototype of what is going to be the Tribes India e-marketplace. This prototype is expected to be ready soon. While TRIFED is still working on the modalities of making it functional, it is estimated that the e-marketplace will be able to facilitate more than 5 lakh tribal artisans, craftsmen and those involved in value addition to forest produce to do business online. To bring in variation, it is also proposed to enroll tribal women led Self Help Groups associated with the Van Dhan value addition centres for forest produce.TRIFED, managing director, Pravir Krishna shared that they recognise that the tribal artisans may not be in a position to join the online business process without support. “To enable sellers to get started with the online business TRIFED will provide technical back end hand holding for e-logistics and also help the tribals with linkages related to storage, transportation, accounting, marketing and publicity on the web,” Krishan added. He feels that if this works it could be a game changer for tribal rural commerce.The prototype in the works is like any other major e-commerce platform that allow sellers to register and sell their products. Tribes India is already into e-commerce for its products and now this e-marketplace is seen as a way bring on board the sellers to reach the buyers.Data collected by TRIFED shows that stocks of handicrafts worth over many crores produced by artisans and craftsmen and women are estimated to be lying wasted since the lockdown started and at least 3 lakh tribal artisans are staring at uncertainty with the buyers gone due to the ongoing lockdown. The numbers could be much more.Based on the database of artisans registered with it and recognising the challenges faced by them, TRIFED has submitted a proposal to the union ministry of tribal affairs seeking additional financial support to buy handicrafts, pottery and other products worth over Rs 23 crores and put the cash in the banks of the affected artisans and craftsmen. TRIFED is also preparing to approach large corporates and online platforms to explore marketing opportunities for the handicrafts that are lying in stock.