The
project named as Livelihood Improvement Project for the Himalayas
is operational in the State of Uttaranchal from 1st April 2004 with
the support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD).
IFAD is an International funding agency and providing a loan to
Uttaranchal State Government through Uttaranchal Gramya Vikas Samiti(UGVS
: a society register by the Govt. of Uttaranchal)for implementing
developmental activities under the project. The project is also
being implemented concurrently in the State of Meghalaya.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Walking on our footsteps of "Collective
Thinking" and "Collective Action" the present "Livelihood
Improvement Project" with the support of International Fund
for Agricultural (IFAD) is being implemented by SBMA in the following
district and development blocks of Devprayag(Tehri Dist) and Ghat
(Chamoli Dist) of Uttranchal since March 2005. This project which
is in the pilot phase aims to cover 40% of villages in each block,
with a total no of households-42700.
In
this project SBMA is playing the role of ANGO (Area NGO) and FNGO(Field
NGO) in its intervention areas. On this front SBMA seeks to build
the capacities of various institutions with the assistance and co-ordination
of PMU (Project Management Unit).
|
Project Strategy
For the Livelihood Improvement Project,SBMA has strategised a
flexible, process-oriented and demand driven approach, responding
to the emerging opportunities of micro enterprise development.Its
strategies are resting on the following:
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
-
Twin
track implementation mechanism to
ensure that the enterprise development component is handled
in a business like manner. It would minimize the prevailing
welfare oriented subsidy driven approach.
-
The
institutions building strategy
aims to create community-owned organizations from the village
level upwards, and gradually transfer project ownership and
management to these institutions after suitably equipping them
perform this role.
-
Combining sub-sector analysis with business development services(SBS)
strategy of
SHG that would contribute to livelihood enhancement.
-
UGVS(Uttaranchal
Gramya Vikas Samiti) to be represented progressively by representatives
of SHG federation from year-3 of the project onwards which would
lead of UGVS management to be taken over by community institutions
by the end of the project.
-
A
project gender strategy
will be to introduce both indigenous and mechanize technologies
that will improve efficiency and reduce women’s workloads.
To build gender concerns into all economic and institutional
capacity-building aspects.
-
Backward,
forward and horizontal linkage3s and their Development
The project’s strategy recognizes that attention must
be given not only to the enhancement of income generating activities
at the grass roots level, but alsoto backward, forward and horizontal
linkages and their development.
|
|
|
|
|
Objectives:
-
To enhance the livelihood of vulnerable groups in a sustainable
manner through promotion of improved livelihood opportunities
and strengthening of local institutions concern with livelihood
development.
- To
promote sensitive design and implementation interventions
- To
capacitate the local people for selection of livelihood
opportunities increasing access to financial resources managing
new technologies.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Promote
income generating cultivation systems and non form enterprises
at the micro level.
- Establish
appropriate delivery systems for inputs and for the maintenance
of assets.
-
To contribute its potential for capacity building on the following:
- Community
Based Organisations
- Self-helf
Groups
- Enterprise
Development
- Project
Management
- Policy
Learnings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Approach:
-
Form
target households into institution building in their capacity
to select livelihood activities with the aim of optimum utilization
of the available local resources, skills and indigenous interests.
-
To nurture "Community based organizations" through
SBMA's livelihood interventions.
-
To emphasize the role of women, expressing their needs to build
in space for the them enhancing effective participation of women
in local institution to involve them in decision making process.
-
Increase people awareness of conservation and regeneration of
natural resources in special regard to the Hill Communities.
-
To build in a strong and effective delivery system, generating
the flow for inputs through the process of savings, credit,
microfinace and micro insurance in co-ordination with the multi-stakeholders,
to foster a conducive environment for local entrepreneurships
on livelihood initiatives.
|
|
|
Project
Brief
Over
the years, the largely self-sufficient survival system of Himalayan
mountain communities has been seriously weakened. This has led to
an accentuation of poverty conditions in mountain areas and, as
a consequence, the degradation of natural resources, particularly
land and forests.The project will target groups that fall either
below or just above the poverty line, an approach aimed at preventing
resentment within the larger community. In particular, it will :
(i) select blocks and villages that have a relatively high incidence
of poverty and higher population ratios of scheduled castes and
scheduled tribes; (ii) Use available natural resources more productively
through appropriate “small scale intervention; and (iii) limit
demonstrations to households living below the poverty line. Participatory
rural appraisals for poverty mapping, and identification of self-targeted
activities and intensive sensitization programmes.It also aims to
create community owned organization from the villages level upwards,
and gradually transfer project ownership and management to these
institutions after suitably building the capacities enabling them
to perform role. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
