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Enhancing Women's Livelihoods through Low Cost Food Processing Solutions

LD-1

By training 50 Sri Lankan Women to become leaders in the production, conservation and marketing of foodstuffs, C-DOT in partnership with RADA will develop social businesses in the coastal village of Sainthamarudu. These microenterprises will be focused on the production of shrimp pickle and other fish products through low-cost food processing and conservations solutions developed in India.

This project, managed by the Community Development Organization Trust (C-DOT) In cooperation with the Reconstruction and Development (RADA) of Sri Lanka will develop social enterprises by training 50 women on shrimp pickle-making, fish processing, on packaging and conservation methods, marketing, distribution, financial planning and management of small businesses. Thanks to low-cost food-processing and conservation solutions proven effective in India and already introduced by C-DOT into some villages in India and Sri Lanka, these women will be able to start small businesses in food production for sales within the village but also for regional or national consumption. The goal is for these 50 women become successful small business owners and community leaders. They will in turn provide a living for themselves and for their families and contribute to the nutritional needs of their community and their region, therefore reducing poverty and advancing human development.

The Southern Solution

For over 5 years C-DOT has been enhancing the livelihoods of coastal communities in the Indian subcontinent by sharing knowledge, technology and solutions that have proven successful in these communities. C-DOT has proven that Self-Help groups have important potential to enhance the lives of these villagers, particularly when they receive cooperation in the areas of micro-credit, micro-enterprises and job-oriented technical training programmes. Low cost food processing and conservation solutions have been particularly effective at enhancing and diversifying livelihoods.

Project Highlights

  • C-DOT uses participatory methodologies and implements its cooperation through Self Help groups that enable villagers to explore and assert their own needs, and engage in the shaping of their improved livelihoods.
  • The food processing and conservation solutions that will be conveyed during training are cost-effective and context appropriate. They have had an important impact in similar coastal communities, enabling an important transformation in the marketing abilities of villagers’ foodstuff products.
  • This project has a gender focus in a community in need for female empowerment.

Need

The coastal village of Sainthamarudu Village, a traditional fishing village in Sri Lanka has been through many challenges and opportunities. Its hard working inhabitants have battled poverty, conflict and natural catastrophe, demonstrating much good will and resilience. Their basic economy has been based on fishing and other subsistence activities, though, particularly since the Asian Tsunami of 2004 they have proven their capacity to organize as a community and collaboratively work towards their own rebuilding and development.

Strategy

C-DOT has a proven strategy of success at facilitating the formation of social enterprises that enhance the incomes and improve the livelihoods of coastal communities in the Indian subcontinent, with over 7 years of experience and over 6,000 direct beneficiaries of its activities.

C-DOT’s strategy is based on:

  • Establishing Self Help groups that jointly assess community needs and courses of action. These groups embrace a vision and strategy to jointly enhance their livelihoods, and shared responsibility for their activities.
  • Replicating proven solutions by providing training on the use of and access to low cost technology for food production and conservation.
  • Focusing on women leaders and their transformative potential.

Expected Life Change

An investment of USD 30,000 will enable 50 women to obtain the necessary training and support to:

  • Start social enterprises for food production, conservation and marketing.
  • Establish themselves a village leaders, engaged in the community’s development and in the design and implementation of activities to improve their livelihoods.
  • Direct life change at USD 600 per person. At least 50 families will be directly impacted by this project.

Action Plan

Formulation

In an initial reconnaissance trip, C-DOT will assist the RADA to establish Self Help groups of women leaders. A survey will be carried out throughout the community, guided by these women leaders in order to establish the key needs and motivations of the coastal village of Sainthamarudu, limiting the survey to the different services and products with which C-DOT has the capacity to enhance the livelihood of these villagers.

Execution

Three workshops will take place during which the 50 women leaders will be trained in food production, conservation and marketing, with a focus on shrimp pickle and other fish-based foodstuffs. These women will also receive assistance for small business development, and for improvement of the community and environmental sanitary conditions.

Support & Reporting

The project will receive continuous support and monitoring through the RADA, and systematic follow-up, and direct assistance during the training workshop visits by C-DOT. The project will report quarterly and will produce a final report at completion.

Duration

This project is expected to be completed within 6 months of obtaining funding.

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Project Profile

HDSX ID:

LD-1

COUNTRY:

Sri Lanka

India

SECTOR:

Livelihood Development

PROJECT DURATION:

6 months

PROJECT BUDGET:

US $ 32 100

SHARES ISSUED:

1284

SHARES AVAILABLE:

1

Project Budget

Training costs
Material costs (vessels, fish products, groceries, etc) 4,000
Training workshops (3 workshops) 2,000
Technical experts fees for 3 experts 3,000
 
Contingencies 2,000
Communications equipment and costs 6,000
Brochures & pamphlets 600
Documentation & reporting 1,000
 
Community activity facilitation fund 4,000
 
Travel & hospitality
Reconnaissance/motivation/survey trip (fare + tax) 300
Travel for the 3 training workshops 900
Hospitality (accommodation, food, etc.) 4,000
 
Local Travel 1,600
Survey at the village to identify needs, motivations 600
 
South-South Exchange Management fees 2,100
 
Grand Total 32,100

Livelihood Development

Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day , without access to many of the social services basic to a decent human life. Their plight requires a global, comprehensive and urgent response to provide them with the tools they need to overcome poverty and attain sustainable livelihoods.

The Need for More and More Productive Livelihoods

The economies of developing countries are frequently characterized by large informal sectors, where labor has very low productivity and, therefore, marginal profitability. Such economies also frequently suffer from high under-employment or unemployment. Lack of gainful economic activity is a major cause for poverty, which feeds a large number of social ills such as poor education, diminished health and social unrest.

In this context, enhancing livelihoods becomes imperative to advance human development. Livelihoods are improved through multiple processes:

  • By enhancing the skills and knowledge of individuals, so that they can better engage in self-subsistence and/or entrepreneurial activities making them more efficient, productive or profitable. Such efforts involve not only imparting training and skills development, but also facilitating access to appropriate technologies and methods, and to broader financing options for the poor. In many developing countries, enterprise development centers have been successful at assisting the development of start-up enterprises by providing skills development workshop, entrepreneurship skills and training, product design and marketing advice and other related activities.

  • By aiding the construction of commercial networks and partnerships, particularly for product marketing and commercialization. Sometimes, developing linkages among small enterprises and large domestic or multinational companies can help nurture the smaller companies. Particularly since linkages between different types of firms in developing countries provide an effective channel for local companies to gain access to markets, financing, skills and know-how.

  • By generating of alternative economic opportunities in order to provide new sources of employment in communities particularly affected by poverty. This entails the identification of untapped areas with potential for growth, the removal of barriers to the establishment of businesses in those economic segments, and assistance to enterprise development. Frequently, business opportunities exist in bottom-of-pyramid markets. However, it is a prerequisite for businesses to be able to operate to ensure basic community infrastructure, such as sustainable delivery of energy, water and sanitation to the underprivileged neighborhoods where such business would operate. In additions, market facilities or access and transport roads might need to meet basic standards.

  • By reducing livelihood vulnerability, through diversification of income sources, and through improved sustainability of natural resources as economic inputs.

Some Best Practices in Livelihood Development

  • Incubate and support the development of income generating activities through small business formation and operation services, micro-credit, training and building of marketing channels.

  • Enhance or restore traditionally productive sectors, such as agriculture, livestock, fisheries and small industry.

  • Improve family or community owned enterprises’ access to productive inputs and to value added components in the production and distribution processes.

  • Introduce productivity enhancing technologies, such as irrigation systems, machinery for agricultural production, or fish farming technologies.

  • Create stronger production and marketing linkages through training and skills development, through creation or strengthening of local organizations such as cooperatives, and through seed capital contributions.

  • Promote alternative income sources by identifying economic areas which have unexploited potential and devising strategies for making them accessible to the working poor.

  • Construct community infrastructure related to livelihood development and overall well being, including market facilities, access and transport roads, and water and sanitation systems, etc.
 

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