livelihoods. learning. sharing.

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November 2014

LIVEwireLIVEwireVol. II No. 3

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on LIVEwireThis Month

With the advent of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM),

stakeholders from academic institutions, livelihoods promoting

organizations, state livelihoods missions, and others have attempted to

strengthen existing collaborations and create new partnerships. One

potential area where these stakeholders can help substantially is by

sharing information on courses, training programs and other educational

initiatives towards creating livelihoods professionals. Following the

National Workshop on Livelihoods Education in March 2013, XIMB started

compiling livelihood education programs which includes diplomas,

certificate courses, training programs, post graduate programs with

various duration and focus areas.

Thanks to an enthusiastic response from several people, XIMB has

presently compiled a draft compendium of livelihoods course curriculum

as a handy reference for livelihoods promoters, academics and livelihood

missions. This handbook can help in designing new programs and also

strengthen collaboration between livelihoods promoters. This compendium

will add value to academics for enhancing the efficacy of post graduate

courses and training programs, by accessing information on what the best

practitioners have to offer in livelihoods education.

The current handbook contains a list of post graduate programs, course

curriculum and training programs, collated from submissions received in

multiple forums including the Livelihood Learning e­Group and the Work

and Employment & Microfinance Communities of UN Solution Exchange

India.

This current version of the handbook is only a draft compilation. It is a

collaborative effort with contributions from several key players in the

livelihoods ecosystem. Improving and updating the handbook is an

ongoing exercise and will build upon feedback and suggestions from

potenitial users.

Based on inputs from readers, the compilation will be updated

continuously and released as an open access digital publication in early

2015.

The handbook of livelihoods education can be accessed here.

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ILRT’s mini­exposition of the Resource Bookfor livelihood Promotion

ILRT (Institute of Livelihood Research and Training,

formerly The Livelihood School) recently published the

4th edition of Resource Book for Livelihood Promotion.

The previous three editions have been received well by

institutions engaged in livelihood promotion, policy

makers, academic research and livelihoodspractitioners.

The 4th Edition of the Resource Book for Livelihood

Promotion was released in June 2014. The authors of

the book are Dr. Sankar Datta, Ms. Rama Kandarpa and

Mr. Vijay Mahajan. This edition has evolved from the

previous versions along with new concepts and

frameworks on livelihoods. It describes conceptual as

well as practical approaches to livelihood promotion and

gives an improved understanding of livelihoods through

the lenses of social, cultural and political analysis, with a

new set of instruments and tools to measure the same.

ILRT had organized a mini­exposition of Resource Book

for a diverse audience comprising faculty, researchers,

students, representatives of local government and other

development institutions. Over a period of three months

from August to October 2014, the Resource Book has

been reviewed and shared at several insitutions,

including Gujarat Vidyapith, Institute of Rural

Management (Anand), Centre for Development of

Environment and Policy (IIM Kolkata), IIM Shillong,

Centre for Research in Public Policy. GITAM Institute of

Management (GITAM University), Xavier Institute of

Management (Bhubaneswar) and Catalyst Management

Services (Bengaluru).

News updates from the Livelihoods MANTHAN consortium

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Chaitanya signs MoU for e­learning withJSLPSChaitanya has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with Jharkhand State Livelihood

Promotion Society (JSLPS) on November 11, 2014 for

implementing Chaitanya’s e­learning course for self

help group (SHG) federation managers. Chaitanya has

been invited to contextualize the e­learning modules

for the regional context in the backdrop of NRLM while

delivering it in Hindi. While signing the MoU, Mr.

Paritosh Upadhyay ­ CEO of JSLPS mentioned that this

course would be helpful for developing a community

cadre involved in community development and would

help the staff achieve greater heights not only in

JSLPS but similar development programmes.

As part of the agreement, Chaitanya will pilot the

course initially and then hand over the course

implementation to JSLPS. This MoU marks another

milestone in Chaitanya’s journey of bridging the

practitioner­academic gap in developing and

delivering course modules in collaboration with

academic institutions like TISS Mumbai and

Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University.

MDI’s study accepted by JEEViKA fordeveloping a road map

On completion of a study on “Understanding the

model of livelihoods promotion in Bihar: JEEViKA”,

Prof. Avanish Kumar of Management Development

Institute (MDI, Gurgaon), who led the study

presented the findings to the JEEViKA team on 8th

October 2014. The meeting was attended by several

key members of the state mission. The findings of the

study were appreciated by all and initiatives based on

LIVEwire November 2014

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the recommendations are under consideration. The

summary of the study was shared with the CEO of

JEEViKA and Secretary, Rural Development (Bihar) to

facilitate the development of a road map for enabling

sustainable outcomes of JEEViKA. Based on an intensive

field study in two blocks in four villages and interviews

with JEEViKA professionals at State, District, Block and

Cluster level, the findings of the study are focused on

four critical areas: social inclusion, livelihood inclusion,

financial inclusion, and human resource management.

The findings of MDI’s study will translate into designing

a Management Development Programme for the

leadership of various State Rural Livelihoods Missions

(SRLMs) across the country.

News updates from the Livelihoods MANTHAN consortium

­ 3 ­

XIMB's knowledge repository exceeds 400resources

XIMB's online livelihoods knowledge repository was

launched in March 2014 to host training resources for

livelihoods promotion. Ever since, several

stakeholders have contributed resources to this open

database. As a result, the total resources available in

the repository has risen from a little over a 100 in

March to over 400 resources presently.

The most recent additions to the repository come

from prominent research insitutions like Gujarat

Institute of Development Research (GIDR) and Indira

Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR).

LIVEwire November 2014

EEvveenntt SSccaannUpcoming livelihoods events across the nation

Livelihoods Asia Summit 2014

ACCESS Development Services announces the

Livelihoods Asia Summit. This pan Asia platform will

facilitate a South­South dialogue and help in

dissemination on poverty reduction and livelihoods

promotion strategies and experiences. The mission of

Livelihoods Asia is to create a regional platform that

presents opportunities for cross learning and sharing of

these unique experiences ­ both successes and failures,

within countries in the region. Livelihoods Asia aims at

building sectoral consensus on critical issues and

challenges faced by the poor, share best practices and

inform and influence policy. The Livelihoods Asia Summit

will present a diverse array of themes that will be

discussed in over 20 sessions on December 10­11, 2014

in New Delhi. To know more about the Summit, please

visit the following link:

Livelihoods Asia Summit 2014

Development Dialogue 2015

Over the last seven years, the Development Dialogue

facilitated by Deshpande Foundation has grown in its

size and impact. The eighth Development Dialogue in

2015 will focus on ‘Scaling by Proving’ as a theme.

The theme emphasizes that the path to truly scalable

development impact requires careful planning and

execution in the early proving stages before

momentum can build towards scalable execution.

The 2015 Development Dialogue will showcase

several examples of organizations that have tested

alternatives at early stages, learned from their

successes and mistakes and then moved ahead to

scale their implementation in different dimensions. To

join the Development Dialogue 2015 on February 7­8,

2015 in Hubli, please register at the following link:

Development Dialogue 2015 Registration

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­ 4 ­LIVEwire November 2014

VVooiicceess ff rroomm tthhee ff iiee llddReports from livelihood professionals in the field

Increasing women’s participation incommunity­based livelihoods intervention :lessons from JEEViKA

The Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP) or JEEViKA,

focuses on forming women­based Self­Help Groups

(SHGs) and the groups are federated at the village level

to form Village Organisations (VOs). The VO receives

investments from the Project and, as an entity; it plays

a vital role in implementing livelihood interventions in

the village. Additionally, the Project has engaged

Resource Persons to provide technical assistance to the

SHG members who are participating in the

interventions.

We interviewed SHG women from more than 600

marginal households (randomly selected) from 24

villages in three districts of Bihar, where the Project was

introduced more than four years ago. Additionally we

interviewed 131 VO leaders and 47 Village Resource

Persons.

Despite successful mobilisation of women from marginal

families in its community structure, not all women were

engaged in livelihood intervention programmes. For

example, one of Project’s most promoted interventions,

System of Rice Intensification (SRI), was adopted by

27% of women only. Many did not adopt due to lack of

adequate land (60%). It raises a question if farm

innovation itself is the right intervention, particularly

when the majority of women are from either landless or

near landless households (more than half of SHG women

were from landless families).

The Project has acknowledged this concern. Thus, it

promotes off­farm and non­farm interventions. Yet,

despite knowledge and access, less than 10% women

had ever participated in such interventions. The reasons

for not participating varied.

First, cultural barriers and taboos discouraged women to

participate. For example, despite being affordable for

many women, only 8% of women had taken up Poultry

Farming. 43% of women reported they did not want to

share their household space with chickens as it affects

their caste­based social status.

Another constraint was lack of time. For example, the

Project has started the Kitchen Garden initiative so

women could grow a variety of vegetables in their own

premises. Only 4% of women had adopted it, mainly

because many perceived the technique would require

extra time and energy, and it did not provide any

immediate income.

At the same time, women perceived they could make

immediate income from enterprise­based intervention.

For example, 52% women reported that they had been

waiting for the agarbatti­making enterprise to start,

however, they had not heard about it from the Project.

We also found that lack of continuous handholding

support influenced many women to discontinue the

service. For example, 48% women that had previously

adopted farm intervention stopped re­applying. Most of

these women were not visited by the Project’s Resource

Persons once they adopted the farm innovation. Data

suggests that a participating woman who is frequently

visited by the Resource Persons is three times more

likely to re­apply the technique.

Findings of the IFMR study clearly indicate that

provisions of well­designed interventions do not

guarantee participation. There are many factors that

come into play that influences women’s decision ­

cultural beliefs, perceived opportunity cost of the

intervention, and handholding support they receive from

the Project’s stakeholders.

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The full report can be downloaded here.

­ 5 ­LIVEwire November 2014

NNeewwss WWaattcchhLivelihoods related news updates in the Livelihoods Learning e-Group

NIRD consultation on capacity building forNRLM

The National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD)

organized a National Consultation on Capacity Building

for NRLM at Hyderabad on 27­28 October 2014. Several

partners of the Livelihoods MANTHAN consortirum and

other members of the Livelihoods Learning e­Group

were invited to offer their inputs on enhancing the

capacity building needs of SRLMs and also to create the

necessary infrastructure to meet those needs. The

consultation focused on ways to meet the capacity

building needs of the community members, leaders,

institutions at various levels, community cadres,

community trainers, community resource persons and

the staff/professionals working with the community. The

workshop also focused on training modules, learning

methods and course materials.

Third NRLM­UNDP Round Table on: LegalFramework for SHGs and Federations

There are more than 7.3 million SHGs in India that are

savings linked. However, the scenario of establishing,

promoting and monitoring SHGs and their federations is

complex as the promoters are of different legal status,

functions and objectives. UNDP along with NRLM

organized the third national level roundtable on October

10, 2014 to discuss this issue of a “Legal Framework for

SHGs and Federations”.

The main points raised and discussed were:

­ The need for a legal framework for SHGs/Federations

under the NRLM is largely arising from economic (credit)

drivers. In this process, social capital formation of

SHGs/Federation and the fostering of Savings should not

be undermined.

­ The top­down structure of SHG federations proposed

by NRLM should be revisited. SHGs should be allowed to

federate as administrative and geographical units only if

needed. SHGs should be allowed to develop organically,

based on natural community affiliations and interests

emerging from the bottom up.

­ There was broad consensus that SHGs be left as

informal bodies. Only at higher levels (say, at the

District level) should registration be required. The lower

levels can be self­regulated through forms of community

auditing.

­ There is a distinction in the maturity level and

numbers between SHGs/Federations in the southern

states and north/northeast/eastern states.

­ The focus in the NURM is largely on SHG formation at

this juncture.

­ Two State Participants (West Bengal and Tamil Nadu)

informed that the state has been responsive to

progressive amendments in the existing State

Cooperative Acts. It was agreed that this should be tried

in all states where appropriate Acts do not exist.

­ In some states, several federations face problems with

registration. There is a need for progressive alternatives

to register under since other legal forms such as

Societies or Producer Company are not suitable either.

­ The evolution of SHGs for different purposes should be

appreciated. Therefore the development of traditional

and typical SHG/Federation for non­business purposes

should be appreciated and dealt with accordingly.

Comics based financial literacy tools forurban migrants

IFMR LEAD, in partnership with Neeti Solutions , and

with support from the University of California, recently

developed financial literacy booklets styled on comics.

These booklets were aimed at addressing the knowledge

gaps where migrant workers try using Banking services,

Mobile and Internet Banking etc. IFMR developed these

comic books based on inputs frorm migrant workers and

women entrepreneurs in Dharavi, Mumbai.

During the research in Dharavi, the researchers looked

at behavioral, social and cultural reasons why

respondents with physical access to banks prefer using

cash over credit/debit cards, cheques, remittances, and

mobile banking services. The research team is

examining if providing the migrants with knowledge

about new technological innovations using behavioral

messaging can increase the adoption of banking

services.

The English version of the books can be downloaded

here.

Do you have events, research or publications to share in this newsletter?Are you looking to collaborate with others?Would you like to be part of the Livelihoods Learning e-Group?

Email us at manthanlive@ximb.ac. in

If you have any comments or feedback on this newsletter, please email us; we would behappy to refine and innovate in future editions of LIVEwire.

Editorial TeamJoseph Satish VC Shambu Prasad

Produced byXavier Institute of Management,

Xavier Square,Bhubaneswar - 751 013

Odisha, INDIAPh: + 91 -674-6647 720

Email: manthanlive@ximb.ac.inWeb: http://livelihoods-manthan.net/

VAPCOL Products on Snapdeal.comAmong its various community centred initiatives, BAIF

Research Foundation has also helped in forming various

farmers’ organizations to process and market farmers’

produce. BAIF brought these different organizations

together as Vasundhara Agri­Horti Producer Co. Ltd.

(VAPCOL)

VAPCOL recently launched online marketing of its

products via Snapdeal.com. The products available

online include combo packs of: plain and flavoured

cashew nut, mango pulp and slices, and Amla Candy.

Deliveries are available anywhere within India. VAPCOL

will also shortly introduce a range of silk products from

sericulture farmers and weavers, as well as Warli

paintings and papier­mâché masks from tribal artisans.

VAPCOL's range of quality products can be ordered

online using the following link:

VAPCOL products on Snapdeal.com

Vrutti and SFAC's state level workshop onFarmer Producer OrganizationsWith the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India,

observing the year 2014 as the Year of Farmers

Producer Organizations (FPO), Vrutti along with the

Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC)

conducted a “State Level Workshop on Farmer

Producer Organizations” in Hyderabad on September

25, 2014.

The workshop was conducted to share various

schemes and initiatives which can strengthen the

working capital base and business potential of the

FPOs. The workshop also sought to link FPOs to

relevant stakeholders who can provide technical

expertise and financial resources, by establishing

linkages between business and market players to

FPOs for mutual growth and benefits.

­ 6 ­LIVEwire November 2014

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­ 7 ­LIVEwire November 2014