tamul plates social impact report: 2014 baseline
TRANSCRIPT
Tamul Plates
Social Impact Report:
2014 Baseline
2
Executive Summary
• Leaf plate producers are highly dependent onTamul Plates, with income fromTamulPlates-relatedactivitiesconstitutingtheprimarysourceofincomeforavastmajorityofhouseholdsacrosstheLowerandUpperAssamGroups.Ontheotherhand,over75percentof affiliateunitownersand rawmaterial collectors acrossrespondent groups view income fromTamul Plates as complementary to othersourcesofincome.
• ThereissignificantvariabilityinmonthlyincomesamongTamulPlatebeneficiaries.While affiliate unit owners across both respondent groups earn more than Rs.10,000amonth,rawmaterialcollectorsearnlessthan50percentofthat.
• Households spend roughly 50 percent of their totalmonthly expenses on foodalone.Expenditureonschoolforchildrenandmiscellaneous(unplanned)expensesformthenexttwobiggestcategories.Savingsconstituteaverysmallcomponentoftotalexpenseforhouseholdsat6–7percent.
• Asset ownership among beneficiaries is largely consistent across the respondentgroups.Basicutilityassetssuchasfurniture,andproductiveassetssuchasmobilephoneshavehighownershipofover85percent.However,lifestyleassets’ownershipvaries,withsocialprestigeitemssuchasbellmetalutensilshavinggreaterownership(48percentofhouseholds)intheLowerAssamGroup,andentertainmentitems,suchastelevisions,beingmorepopular(55percentofhouseholds)intheUpperAssamGroup.
• Housingqualityofbeneficiariesis largelydeterminedbylocation.Tamulfactoryworkersliveinsemi-urbanareasofBarpetaandthereforehavealargepercentagestayinginpermanenthouses(44percentinLowerAssamGroupand50percentinUpperAssamGroup),whencomparedtootherbeneficiaries.Acrossallbeneficiaries,betterqualitymaterialisgenerallyusedforpillars(concrete)androofs(tin),whilebasicmaterialsuchasbambooisusedforwalls,owingtolocalclimaticconditions.
• Schoolenrolmentisencouragingamongthebeneficiaries,exceedingthenationalaverageforbothboysandgirls.However,onlyasmallpercentageofthesechildren(30percentinLowerAssamGroupand17percentinUpperAssamGroup)attendprivateschool.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 3
TamulPlatesMarketingPrivateLimited(TamulPlates)isaproducers’initiative,generatinglivelihoodsinruralpartsofNortheastIndiabyproducingandmarketingbiodegradablearecanutleafdinnerware.TamulPlatesempowersvillage-levelentrepreneurswith technological support todevelophigh-qualitydisposableplates, and ensures strongmarket access for sustainable incomes.Over the last four years,TamulPlateshaspromotedmore than100entrepreneursand therebygenerated livelihoods formorethan500people.
RecognizingthestrongworkbeingdonebyTamulPlatesintheregion,UpayaSocialVentures(Upaya)decidedinNovember2013toextendfinancialandtechnicalsupportforfurtheremploymentopportunitiesforruralyouthintheNortheast.
ObjectiveWithastrongcommitmenttoevidence-backedimpactmeasurement,Upaya,incollaborationwithTamulPlates,developedthisSocialPerformancereporttodocumenttheeconomicandsocialbackgroundofthe company’sbeneficiaries.This reportprovides a snapshotof socialmetrics for95ofTamulPlates’beneficiaries, serving as thebaseline for reporting their progress out of poverty over time.Amidline(check-in)surveywillbeconductedafter12monthsforthesamegroupofbeneficiariestomeasurethechangesinincomelevelsandquality-of-lifeindicators.
Thefindingsof this reportarepivotal forUpayaandTamulPlates to informstrategies forcontinuedimpact on themost vulnerable communities,while also serving as a valuable resource for readers tobetterunderstandthecharacteristicsofthepopulationUpaya’sprogramsarecommittedtoservingandtheconditionsinwhichtheycurrentlylive.Upaya’smissionistosupportthecreationofdignifiedjobsinordertouplift“ultrapoor”communities.
Scope The report is based on household surveys conducted between July 2014 and September 2014 of 95beneficiaries across ten districts ofNortheast India, spanning the states of Assam,West Bengal, andMeghalaya. Beneficiaries were evaluated across key social and economic metrics, including income,education,assets,andexpenditure.
Background & Context
TamulPlatesoriginatedinAssam,astrategicallyplacedstateinNortheasternIndia.ThenameAssamisderivedfromtheword“asama,”meaningpeerless,orunrivalled,inthenow-extinct‘Ahom’language.Thestate’sphysicalbeautydoesjusticetoitsname,boastingmajesticHimalayas,thegreatriversystemsoftheBrahmaputraandBarak,andtheone-hornedrhinoceros.Unfortunately,thisnaturalrichnessisinstarkcontrasttothesocialandeconomicissuesthatplaguethestate.
Introduction
4
Assam’seconomysawweakgrowthbetween2002and2012,withGrossStateDomesticProduct(GSDP)growingby5.8percent,farbehindthenationalaverageof8.37percent.Productivityisalsoexceptionallylow,withtheagriculturesectorcontributingameagre21.3percenttothestate’sGSDP5despiteemployingroughly75percentoftheworkforce.
Employmentopportunitiesareinadequateandinaccessible.Unemploymentisextremelyprevalent,withtheruralmaleunemploymentrate(4.3percent)6registeringasthehighestinthecountry,andruralyouthunemployment(16.2percent)asthesecond-highest.Alternativestoagriculturalemploymentarefocusedinmajorcities, fuellingaprominenturban/ruraleconomicdivide,with86percentofthestate’spoorlivinginruralareas.
Thislaggardeconomicgrowthandskeweddevelopmenttrendsarecreatingadangeroussocio-culturaldivisioninAssam,whichthreatenstodevolveintorisingcrime,heightenedsuiciderates,andseparatistmovements. Recognizing these issues, the founders of Tamul Plates decided to promote non-farmemployment opportunities for rural youth, ensuring steady incomes from credible alternatives toagriculturalemployment.
Overview of Tamul PlatesTamulPlatesoriginatedasalivelihoodprogrammeunderDhriiti,anon-profitbasedinBarpeta,Assam,whichpromotedarecanutleafplate-makinginthepoorestdistrictsofAssam:Baksa,Bongaigon,Barpeta,andChirang(collectivelyreferredtoas‘LowerAssam’).
Dhritii’smodelleveragedgrantfundingtoprovideindirectcreditsupportandtechnicalknowledgetolow-incomehouseholds,helpingthefirstfewvillage-levelentrepreneursforleafplatemanufacturingintheregion.Asperprogramdesign,beneficiariesrecruitedduringthisperiodwerefromextremelypoorhouseholds.
Over time, the organization’s founders recognized that a for-profit model would enable sustainableoperations,andsoestablishedTamulPlatesinAugust2009.Thismovebroughtthreesignificantchangesinorganizationstrategy.First,agreaterfocusoncreatingastrongend-marketthroughcoordinatedmarketingof the disposable arecanut tableware. Second, simultaneous expansion of manufacturing operations,encouraging village-level entrepreneurs in other districts ofAssam such asTinsukia, Lakhimpur, andCachar (commonly referred to as ‘UpperAssam’7), and expanding todistricts in other states such asMeghalaya(WestGaroHillsandRibhoiMeghalayadistricts)andWestBengal(Jalpaiguridistrict).Third,atransitionfromindirectcreditsupportforhouseholdstofacilitatingloansthroughestablishedbanks.Thisshiftresultedinenrolmentoflessindigenthouseholdsgiventheneedforarelativelyhigherappetiteforrisk.
Thesestepsnotonlystreamlinedoperationsfromabusinessperspective,butalsoenabledTamulPlatesto create abigger geographical impact.Byprovidingmanufacturing technology andmarket linkages,TamulPlateshassupported100villagelevelentrepreneursacrossthreestatesintheregionandcreatedalternativeemploymentformorethan500households.
5 InternationalJournalofModernEngineeringResearch(IJMER),“ProspectofbioenergysubstitutioninteaindustriesofNorthEastIndia”,Vol.3,Issue.3,May-June.2013,pp-1272-1278.Availableat:http://www.ijmer.com/papers/Vol3_Issue3/AC3312731278.pdf.LastaccessedDecember17,2014.
6HindustanTimes,“Hardtimes:YoungandunemployedinIndia,”February9,2014.Avaialbleat:http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/unemployment-rate-for-youngsters-sees-marginal-rise/article1-1181982.aspx.LastaccessedDecember17,2014.
7UpperAssamisconsideredtobethemostproductiveregioninthestate,boastinganabundanceofnaturalresourceslikeoilandgas,aswellasafledgingteaplantationeconomy.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 5
Tamul Plates is committed to having impact beyond livelihood generation by encouraging adoptionof environmentally friendly tableware. Products manufactured by Tamul Plates are 100 percentbiodegradable,reducingpotentialCO2productionupondiscardby6kilogramsperkilogramofproduct(theamountofCO2producedupondestructionofThermacolandStyrofoam).
Assessment methodology and scope
TamulPlatesandUpayajointlyconductedtheSocialPerformanceSurveyandproducedthisreportinordertoassessthesocio-economicbackgroundofbeneficiaryhouseholdsacrossvariousmetrics.Thisisabaselinereportintendedtoachievetwoprimaryobjectives:toensureTamulPlatesisreachingouttothetargetedbeneficiarygroups,andtoserveasabasetomeasurefutureimpactthroughperiodicsurveys.Weintendtotrackthesesocialmetricsofbeneficiaryhouseholdsregularlytoassesstheimprovementinincomeandqualityoflife.
Data collection
Data cited in this report is primary information sourced through detailed surveys of beneficiaryhouseholds associated withTamul Plates and collected using the “Social PerformanceMeasurementSchedule“developedbyUpaya.Thequestionnairewasdesignedtocapturearangeofsocio-economicandsituationalparametersatthehouseholdlevel,includingdemographics,incomeandemployment,familyexpenditure,housingstatusandaccesstoamenities,andownershipofassets,suchaslandandlivestock.
In addition to the survey, in-depth unstructured interviews were conducted with respondents fromvariousbeneficiarygroups.Thesequalitative interviewswereextremelyhelpful inprovidinganecdotalevidenceandinsightintothelivesofthesamplegroup,thechallengestheyface,andtheroleTamulPlatesplaysintheirlives.TheseinterviewsarefeaturedasprofilesinAppendixA.
SurveyingforthisreportwasundertakenbetweenJuly2014andSeptember2014.Surveyorsinterviewed95respondentsfrom92householdscovering10districtsinthestatesofAssam,Meghalaya,andWestBengal.
Classification of respondents
Across the analysis presented in forthcoming sections, respondents have been classified based ontwo defining characteristics: the role each respondent plays withinTamul Plates’ operations and theorganizationstructuretherespondentwasinitiatedinto.
EachrespondentplaysoneoffourjobroleswithinTamulPlates’operations:affiliateunitowner,leafplateproducer,Tamulfactoryworker,andrawmaterialcollector/agent.
1. Affiliate unit owners arevillage-level entrepreneurswhoownsmallproductionunits at thevillageleveltomanufacturearecanutleaftablewaremarketedbyTamulPlates.
2. Leaf plate producers areworkersemployedinindividualvillageproductionunitstohandlethecleaninganddryingofleavesandtooperatetheplate-makingmachines.
3. Tamul factory workers areindividualsemployedattheTamulPlatescentralproductionfacility
6
ofleafplates,basedinBarpeta.4. Raw material collectors or agents areindividualsandagentssupplyingrawmaterial,suchas
arecanutleafsheaths,toproductionunits.Eachrespondentwasinitiatedintoeitheranon-profitorganizationstructureorafor-profitorganizationstructure.
• ‘Lower Assam Group’ referstoearlyemployeeswhojoinedwhilemanufacturingfunctionedasanon-profitoperationunderthenameofDhritii.ThesehouseholdsbelongtothepoorerdistrictsofAssam,commonlyreferredtoasLowerAssam.
• ‘Upper Assam Group’ refers toneweremployeesbrought inafter the shift to the for-profitmodelandestablishmentofthecompanyknownasTamulPlates.ThesehouseholdstendtobelesspoorthanthoseintheLowerAssamgroup,andarelocatedinthreestates-Assam(Tinsukia,Lakhimpur,andCachardistricts;commonlyreferredtoas‘UpperAssam’),Meghalaya(WestGaroHills andRibhoiMeghalayadistricts), andWestBengal (Jalpaiguridistrict). It shouldbenoted that theclassificationof“UpperAssam” isnotgeographicallyandadministrativelyrepresentativeasitclubsdistrictsfromotherstates.
Respondent Category Upper Assam Group Lower Assam Group Total
Affiliate Unit Owner 3 14 17
Leaf Plate Producer 4 13 32 45
Leaf Collector or Agent 4 29 33
Grand Total 20 75 95
Fig 1.1 Categories of respondents for the survey
It is important to note that LowerAssamGroup households have already experienced improvementinqualityoflifeandimprovementinincomesgiventheirlongertenureofworkingwithTamulPlates.UpperAssamGrouphouseholds,ontheotherhand,arerelativelynewrecruits,sothisassessmentmaynotyetreflectbenefitsfromTamulPlateemployment.WhilethisreportwillnotbeabletoassesstheprogressmadebytheLowerAssamGroupthroughTamulPlates initiatives todate, itwillestablishabaselineassessmentforallbeneficiariesincurrenttime.Subsequentsocialperformancereportswilltrackallhouseholds’progressandimprovementsintheirqualityoflifeasaresultoftheirworkwithTamulPlates.Acknowledgingthefundamentaldifferenceinenrolmentofeachofthesebeneficiarygroups,wewillrefrainfromcomparingindicatorsacrossthesetwogroups.
4LeafplateproducersherereferstoworkersintheTamulfactoryaswellasthoseemployedatthevariousvillagelevelaffiliateunits.Forthepurposesofthisreportwesurveyed13workersoftheTamulFactoryand32workersworkingatthevillagelevelaffiliateunit.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 7
Thekeyfindingsofthisassessmentarepresentedbyrespondenttype;dividedintoLowerAssamGroup(LAG)andUpperAssamGroup(UAG).
Lower Assam Group
This section covers the performance of Lower AssamGroup households. 75 beneficiaries from fourdistrictswere surveyed as part of this group on various socio-economic indicators like income, assetownership, household expenditure patterns, education for children under 17, and access to services.Theseindicatorsareindicativeofthequalityoflifeenjoyedbythesehouseholds.
Education
55%
27%
77%
65%
0%
33%
50% 43%
55%
29%
62% 69%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe Other Backward Castes General
Lite
racy
Rat
e
Literacy Rates Among LAG Beneficiaries
Male Female Group Average
Fig 2.1 Literacy rate among Lower Assam beneficiaries based on caste classification
BeneficiariesintheLowerAssamGroupexhibitskewedliteracylevelsforboththeScheduledTribes(ST)andtheScheduledCaste(SC).ThegroupaverageliteracyratefortheSC/STsismuchlowerthantheGeneralandOtherBackwardCastes(OBC)categories.Thegroup’saverageliteracyrateof29percent5issignificantlylowerthanthestateaverageliteracyrateamongSTs,whichis80.5percent.Similarly,whilethestateaverageforSCsis83percent,thegroupaveragestandsat55percent.Femaleliteracyrateisloweroverallthanthemaleliteracyrateamongallcastegroups,withtheexceptionofST.
Progress out of Poverty™
TheProgress out of Poverty™ Index (PPI) is an easy-to-use povertymeasure developed byGrameen
5 National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, “Rural Development Statistics: Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes,” 2011-12. Available at:http://www.nird.org.in/Rural%20Development%20Statistics%202011-12/data/sec-10.pdf. Last, accessed on January 16, 2015.
Demographics of the Lower Assam Group
By gender:Male-60Female-15
By caste:General-21
ScheduledCaste-11ScheduledTribe-14
OtherBackwardCaste-29
Findings
8
Foundationthatallowsorganizations toassessandtrackchanges inpoverty ratesamongbeneficiariesovertime.
ThePPIScorecardcomprises10questions thatcoverawidevarietyofhouseholdparameters suchasprimary income source, number of children, and asset ownership (e.g., TV, almirah/dressing table,bicycle).ScoresassociatedwitheachresponsedeterminetheaggregatePPIscoreforahousehold,whichrangesfrom0(mostlikelytobebelowpovertyline)to100(leastlikelytobebelowpovertyline).
ItisimportanttonotethatthePPIscoreisnotanindicationofactualpovertylevelbutisthelikelihoodofahouseholdtofallbelowthepovertyline.
22%
32%
23% 28%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owners Leaf Plate Producers Tamul Factory Worker Raw Material Collector/Agent
Per
cent
age
Lik
elih
ood
Likelihood of LAG Beneficiaries Falling Under $1.25-a-Day Ultra Poverty Threshold
Fig. 2.2 Poverty likelihood for Tamul Plates beneficiaries based on PPI scores
Fig.2.2representsthelikelihoodofbeneficiariesinfourdifferentTamulbeneficiarygroupsfallingbelowthe$1.25-a-daypovertyline[2005PPP]6.Overall,thesamplegroupshowsalowlikelihoodoffallingbelowthepovertyline.Householdsthatworkasleafplateproducersforvillage-levelaffiliateunitshavethehighest likelihoodamong those surveyedof fallingbelow the$1.25-a-day threshold.Village-levelaffiliateunitownershavethelowestprobabilityoffallingbelowthepovertythreshold.
Income and productivity
IncomeisperhapsthemostimportantmetrictomeasurethequalityoflifeinruralAssam.Amajorityofhouseholdsintheareaundertakeagriculturalactivitiestomeetdomesticfoodconsumption;theyeitherownlandorworkforothers.Thisconsumptionissupplementedbycash-basedincomesourcestoprovidedisposableincome,whichinturndeterminestheuptakeofservices,suchasqualityhealthcare,education,andpurchaseofproductive,utility,orlifestyleassets.
Followingthisunderstandingofincomegenerationintheregion,incomecanbedistinguishedbasedonprimarysourceandsecondarysource.Primarysourcereferstothedominantactivitybringingincometothehousehold,whilesecondarysourcereferstoallsupplementaryactivityundertaken.
This sectiondifferentiates the sources of incomedata for the three categories ofTamulPlates-related
6 The PPI Lookup Table for India can be found at http://www.progressoutofpoverty.org/country/india
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 9
employment: affiliate unit owners, leaf plate producers (includingTamul Factory workers), and rawmaterialcollectors.
Affiliate unit owners
21%
29% 14%
36%
Primary Source of Income
Affiliate Unit Owner
Cultivator
Self Employed in Agriculture
Other 79%
7% 14%
Secondary Source of Income
Affiliate Unit Owner
Other
No Work
Fig. 2.3 Primary and secondary income sources for affiliate unit owners
Amongtheaffiliateunitowners,79percentindicatedthatoperatingthevillageproductionunitistheirsecondary source of income. Only 21 percent of the beneficiaries in this category reported incomefromTamul Plates as their primary income source. For amajority of these households, agriculturalwork—eitherontheirownfarmsorothers’farms(cultivator)—remainstheprimaryincomesourceandoccupation.Therefore,itcanbeinferredthatforthesebeneficiaries,expenditureinsettingupandoperatingtheaffiliateunitisseenasaninvestmentactivity,andanyincomefromtheseunitscomplementsothertraditionalandmorecentralincomesources.
Leaf plate producers
77%
13%
3%
7%
Primary Source of Income
Leaf Plate Producer
Manual Labour
Other
Cultivator
20%
3%
20%
3%
54%
Secondary Source of Income
Leaf Plate Producer
Manual Labour
Other
Cultivator
No Work
Fig. 2.4 Primary and secondary income sources for Leaf Plate Producers
For77percentof the leafplateproducers, incomefromworkingat theaffiliateunitorTamulPlatesfactoryconstitutestheirprimarysourceofincome.Incomparisontomanuallabourwork,theincomefromTamulsourcesisnotonlyfixedbutalsopredictable.Also,itispertinenttonotethatmorethanhalf (54percent) of the beneficiaries reportedhavingno secondary income source.This implies thatbeneficiarieseitherdonotneedasecondaryincomesourceorthatemploymentintheformofleafplateproductionisthebestand/oronlyoptionavailabletothem.Inbothofthesecases,thedatapointstoleafplateproducers’highlevelofdependencyonincomefromTamulsources.
10
Raw material collectors
10%
35%
10%
22%
23%
Primary Source of Income
!"#$"%&'"()$*&
+$%,-.",)*&
/0%1&234%)506&-#&78*-9$%,$*0&
:";&!",0*-"%&+)%%09,)*&
<,=0*&
3%
77%
10%
10%
Secondary Source of Income
!"#$%&'(#)*"+%,-%./0,12#320"%
456%753"0,5#%8)##"13)0%
93:"0%
;)%<)0=%
Fig. 2.5 Primary and secondary income sources for raw material collectors
RawmaterialcollectorstendnottorelyonincomefromTamulPlatesastheirprimaryincomesource.Asinthecaseofaffiliateunitowners,mostbeneficiaries(77percent)identifiedTamul-relatedincomeassupplementaltoincomefromtraditionalsources.Theseasonalavailabilityofarecanutleavesisoneofthereasonsforthistrend;beneficiariescanengageinthisactivityfull-timeonlyduringcertainpartsoftheyear.Evenwhenavailable,gatheringtheleavesandsupplyingthemtotheproductionunitsdoesnotconsumetoomuchtime,allowinghouseholdstocontinuewithotherfull-timework.
11246
5026
4601
3410
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000
Affiliate Unit Owner
Leaf Plate Producer
Tamul Factory Worker
Raw Material Collector/Agent
Income (in Rs.)
Average Monthly LAG Household Income
Fig. 2.6 Average monthly household income for Lower Assam Tamul households
Onaverage,thevillage-levelaffiliateunitownershavethehighestmonthlyhouseholdincome(Rs.11,246)amongallthebeneficiarycategories.IncomefromTamulsourcesissupplementaryfortheaffiliateunitowners,andassuchistreatedasaninvestmentopportunitytoshoreuptheircash-basedincomesources.FortheleafplateproducersandTamulfactoryworkers,whorelymoreheavilyontheirTamulincomesource,theaveragemonthlyhouseholdincomeisRs.4,600-5,000.
Household expenditure
Themostimportantexpenseforhouseholdsisfood.Householdslivingatsubsistencelevelsofincomespend40-50percentoftheirincomeonfood.Manystudieshavenotedthatwithanincreaseinincome,thepercentageshareoffoodexpensedecreasesduetoincreasedspendingonservicessuchashealthandeducation.7Inmonetaryterms,householdsfromthesurveyedgrouptendtospendclosetoRs.4,126onfoodeverymonth.
7 For more, refer to Economic Research Service/USDA “Growth and Equity Effects of Agricultural Marketing Efficiency Gains in India / ERR-89: Household Income and Expenditure Patterns,” December 2009. Available at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/428179/err89e_1_.pdf. Last accessed December 20, 2014.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 11
Food 54%
Festivals/Cinemas 7%
School Fees 8%
Savings 7%
Medicines 7%
Loan Repayments 3%
Miscellaneous 14%
LAG Household Average Monthly Expenditures
Fig. 2.7 Breakdown of household monthly expenditure
Withrespondents intheLowerAssamGroupallocating54percentof their totalmonthlyhouseholdspendingonfood,thereisaclearneedtoimprovethefood-to-non-foodexpenditureratio.Thiswouldmean ahigher allocation for expenses towards school fees (education),medicines (health), andothermiscellaneousexpenditure.TamulPlatesaimstoofferthemanincreaseindisposableincome,andasaresult,anincreaseintheirshareofnon-foodexpenditureasaproportionoftotalhouseholdexpenditure.Therespondentsinthisgroupreportalowlevelofhouseholdsavings.LowerAssamGrouphouseholdsaresavingonly7percentoftotalexpenditureonaverage,whichtranslatestoRs.540everymonth.Thislowlevelofsavingsisprevalentacrossthegroup,withnearly40percentofhouseholdsnothavinganyformofsavingsatall.Thesefiguresemphasizethattheincomebeingearnedisthebareminimumneededfor thehouseholds to survive.There is acriticalneed toboost incomeand increasefinancial securitywithintheregionthroughsavings.
Asset ownership
Householdassetscanbebroadlycategorizedintothreetypes:
• Utility assets: These assets are the most basic necessities for all households, signifying aminimumlevelofqualityoflife.Examplesincludebeds,chairs,andwaterpurifiers.
• Productive assets: Theseassetscanbeusedforproductivepurposestoderiveeconomicbenefits.Examplesincludemobilephones,handlooms,two-wheelers,andtractors.
• Lifestyle assets: Theseassetsaretypicallypurchasedeitherasstatussymbolsorasluxuryitems,andtendtobethemostexpensiveamongallassets.Examplesincluderadios,televisions,andexpensivemetalutensils.
12
100% 96%
5% 13%
32% 33%
87% 89%
8% 9%
25%
7%
27%
3% 3%
16% 24%
35% 31%
48%
12%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Bed
Cha
ir
Wat
er D
rum
Wat
er P
urifi
er
Coo
k St
ove
Alm
irah/
Dre
ssin
g U
nit
Mob
ile
Bic
ycle
Sew
ing
Mac
hine
2 W
heel
er
Han
dloo
m
Inve
rter
Plou
gh
Trac
tor
Cas
sero
le/T
herm
os
Rad
io
DT
H
Silk
Clo
thes
Tele
visi
on
Bel
l Met
al U
tens
ils
3/4
Whe
eler
Utility Productive Lifestyle O
wne
rshi
p of
Hou
seho
ld A
sset
s (in
%)
LAG Household Asset Ownership by Asset Type
Fig. 2.8 Distribution of household assets based on asset type
InterestingtrendsinthedistributionofhouseholdassetsarerepresentedinFigure2.8,includingthefol-lowingobservations.
• UtilityassetsarethemostpopularassettypefortheLowerAssamGroup.Itemsofeverydayuselikebedsandchairshavenear-universalownership.However,itisinterestingtonotethattwolow-costutilityassets—waterdrumandwaterpurifier—havethesmallestownershippercentagesinthecategory.Thiscanbeattributedtotheabundanceofpotablewaterintheregionthatrequiresnostorageorpurification.
• Cookstovesasautilityassetdonotseemtohavehighacceptanceinthisregion.Householdstendtopreferthetraditionalfirewoodcookstoves.Thisisprimarilyduetothehighcostofcleanfuelsourcesandaproximitytoforeststhatprovidesanabundanceoffirewood.
• Amongproductiveassets,inexpensiveassetssuchasmobilesandbicycleshavemorethan85percentownership.However,themoreexpensiveproductiveassetssuchasinverters,tractors,andtwo-wheelerarelesscommon.
• Expectedly,lifestyleassetshavethelowestpercentageofownershipamongthesurveyedgroup.Medium-costassetsliketelevisions,bellmetalutensils,andsilkclothesareamongthefewassetswithhighownership,astheyareseenasastatussymbolsinthisarea.
• Thereisnegligibleownershipofhigh-costlifestyleassetssuchasthree-orfour-wheelers.
Overall, the cost of the asset is the primary factor that determines their purchase in the surveyedhouseholds.Low-andmedium-costassetslikechairs,beds,mobiles,bicycles,andTVsaresomeofthemostpopularassetsamongthesehouseholds.
Landholding patterns
Agriculture is an important economicactivity inAssam,providingemployment tonearly75percentof thepopulation.However, the sector isnotadequatelyproductive,characterizedby lowyield levelsresultinginlackofself-sufficiency.Sinceapproximately40percentoftherespondentsintheLowerAssamGroupreportedagriculturalsourcestobeeitheraprimaryorsecondarysourceofincome,itisusefultolookattheseactivitiesmoreclosely.
Basedonthelandholdingpatterns,asgleanedfromthedata,itispossibletocategorizethesehouseholdsintofourcategories:
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 13
• Landless: These households own no land and work on larger farms as laborers to earn asubsistenceliving.Suchhouseholdstendtofallunderthe$1.25-a-daypovertyline.
• Small and marginal farmer: Thesefarmersholduptotwoacresofland.Theirholdingsarecharacterizedbylowagriculturaloutputandminimalmarketablesurplus.8
• Medium farmer: Thesefarmersownbetweentwoandfiveacresofland.Theyusethislandnotjusttofeedtheirfamiliesbutalsotogrowvegetablesandfruitsthatcanbesoldlocally.
• Large farmer: Thesefarmersownmorethanfiveacresoflandandareabletouseeconomiesofscalewithmachineryandfertilizers.Theseinputsalsoallowthemtoincreaseoutput,improveoverallproductivitylevels,andproducegreatermarketablesurplusfromtheirland.
OfthetotalsurveyedbeneficiariesintheLowerAssamGroup,32percentarelandlessand39percentaresmallandmarginalfarmers.Thesehouseholdstypicallyworkascultivators(orlaborers)onothers’farmstoearnlivelihoods,asthelandtheyown(ifany)doesnotproduceanymarketablesurplustoprovidethemwithanadditionalsourceofincome.Largefarmersareanextremelysmallproportion(9percent)ofthetotalhouseholdssurveyedinthisgroup.Itisforthesebeneficiariesthatfarmingcanbeconsideredaremunerativeeconomicactivity.
Landless 32%
Small and Marginal Farmer
39%
Medium Farmer 20%
Large Farmer 9%
LAG Landholding Status
Fig. 2.9 Landholding patterns based on land-size classification
Housing and access to amenities
Electricity
77% 78% 85%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Lower Assam Group State Average National Average
Per
cent
of
Hou
seho
lds
LAG Household Electrification
Fig. 2.10 Electrification rate for Lower Assam Group
77percentofLowerAssamGrouphouseholdshaveaccesstoelectricity,inlinewiththestateaverageofruralelectrificationof78percent.9
8 Marketable surplus is the portion of a harvest that a farmer can sell on the market to earn a profit. With this profit she can reinvest into farming operations by purchasing more land or better farming equipment.
9 Assam Directorate of Economics and Statistics, “Economic Survey, Assam,” 2011-12. Available at: http://ecostatassam.nic.in/ads_economic%20survey.pdf. Last accessed December 17, 2014.
14
Itisimportanttocaveatthatelectrificationonlyrepresentsaccesstoanelectricalconnectionandnotaregular supply;blackoutsandbrownoutsaremajorproblems inAssam.According2011GovernmentofIndiaestimates,27percentofthestate’senergyrequirementremainsunmet.10Thisunmetdemandresultsinconstantpowercuts,requiringTamulPlatestocontinuepoweringoperationswithcookinggas/liquefiedpetroleumgasinsteadofelectrifiedmachines,whichwouldcontributetolowercostsandmoreeco-friendlymanufacturing.
Water
61% 63%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Lower Assam Group State Average
Per
cent
of
Hou
seho
lds
LAG Safe Drinking Water Access
Fig. 2.11 Access to safe drinking water
WitheasyaccesstoandavailabilityofwateracrossAssam,itisnosurprisethat61percentofhouseholdsreportedaccesstosafedrinkingwater.53percentofthehouseholdshadaccesstoprivatehandpumpsortaps,and100percentofhouseholdsreportedthattraveltothenearestsourcewouldtakefewerthan15minutes.
Sanitation
Accesstosanitationismeasuredbythequalityoffacilitiesavailabletodifferenthouseholds.‘Improvedsanitationfacilities’aredefinedasthosethathygienicallyseparatehumanexcretafromhumancontact,includingflushtoilets(withsewerconnection),pitlatrineswithslab,compostingtoilets,andventilatedimproved pit latrines. ‘Basic sanitation facilities’ include other facilities, including open pits, publictoilets,andhangingtoilets.
21% 25%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Lower Assam Group National Average
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
LAG Access to Improved Sanitation
Fig. 2.12 Access to improved sanitation facilities
10 Deb Chattopadhyay, 2012,. Electrification in Remote Villages of Assam (India): Issues and Case Studies, University of Brisbane. Available at: http://www.academia.edu/2967588/Rural_Electrification_in _India_-_Economic_Modelling_of_Renewable_and_Grid_Connection_Options. Last accessed December 17,2014
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 15
AccordingtoWorldBankestimates,11only25percentoftheruralhouseholdsinIndiahaveaccesstoimprovedsanitationfacilities,resultinginthemajorityofthepopulationusingbasicsanitationfacilities,orinmanycasesresortingtoopendefecation.IntheLowerAssamGroup,thepercentageofhouseholdswithimprovedsanitationisevenlower,at21percent.
Adoptionofbettersanitationfacilitiesislargelydependentontheincomesofthehouseholdsinagivenarea,aswellas thegeographicalandculturalcontextof their locations.AsFigure2.13makesclear,agreaterproportionofimprovedsanitationfacilitiesareusedbytheaffiliateunitowners,ascomparedtotheleafcollectorsandaffiliateunitworkers,adiscrepancylargelydrivenbyhigherincomes.TheexceptiontothisistheTamulfactoryworkers,whodespitelowerincomesrefrainfromopendefecation,astheyarebasedwithinthesemi-urbanlimitsofBarpeta.
36%
10% 13%
56%
43% 86%
48%
44%
21% 3%
39%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
LAG Access to Sanitation by Role
Bricks Pit Open
Fig. 2.13 Sanitation facilities available for households
Housing structure and quality
Housingqualityandstructuresareindicativeofthelong-termfinancialsecurityofahousehold.Increasedhousingquality isoftenahighpriorityoftheruralpoor,buthighcostsmeanthat improvementsareundertakenoveralongperiodoftime.Thequalityofhousingisusuallyalaggingindicatorrelativetochangeinincome.
36% 45%
52%
11%
21% 10% 9%
44%
43% 45% 39% 44%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
LAG Household Type
Kutcha Pucca Semi Pucca
Fig. 2.14 Distribution of housing type
WithintheLowerAssamGroup,thetrendholdstrue,with21percentofaffiliateunitownershavingpucca12houses,nearlydoubletherateofleafcollectorsandaffiliateunitworkers.Meanwhile,44percentofTamulfactoryworkershavepuccahousesduetotheirlocationwithinthelimitsofBarpeta.Where11 The World Bank, “Improved sanitation facilities (% of population with access).” Available at: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.ACSN/countries/1W-IN?display=graph. Last accessed December 18, 2014.
12 Pucca houses are structures whose walls and roofs are both made of building materials such as cement, concrete, kiln burnt bricks, tiles, or tin/corrugate sheets.
16
puccahousesarelesscommon,kutcha13housesincrease,withsemi-pucca14remaininglargelyconsistentacrossrespondentcategories.
14% 3%
14%
14% 4%
22%
71% 83%
96% 78%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory P
erce
ntag
e of
Hou
seho
lds
LAG Roof Material by Role
Cement Straw/Thatch Tin Corrugat
Fig. 2.15 Type of roof material used
Theinfluenceofincomelevelsonhousingcontinuestobeanimportantcharacteristicwhenassessingroofquality.Assamispronetoextremelyhighrainfall,forcinghouseholdstoadoptstrongmaterial,suchastinandcementwherepossible.Whilecorrugatedtinsheetsarebyfarthemostcommonmaterial,beingusedbyover70percentofhouseholdssurveyedacrossrespondenttype,14percentofaffiliateunitownershavecementroofs.Thisdesiretoadoptstrongerroofmaterial,asincomeincreases,willbeaninterestingareatotrackinfuturereports.
79% 86% 91%
44%
21% 10% 4%
33%
22% 3% 4%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
LAG Wall Material by Role
Bamboo Bricks Cement Cement over Bamboo/Iqra
Fig. 2.16 Type of wall material used
AssessmentofwallandpillarmaterialsmakesitclearthatTamulfactoryworkersprioritizepermanentbuildingmaterials given their locationwithinBarpeta. 89 percent of these respondents use concretepillars,and55percentuseeitherbrickorcementforwalls.Thisisinstarkcontrasttootherrespondents,whohadpillarsmadefromconcrete,wood,orbamboo,andwallsmadelargelywithlocallyabundantbamboo.Becauseofitshighfibrecontentanddurability,bambooispreferredasawallmaterialamongbyhouseholdswhereheavyrainfallsandfloodsarelikelytooccur.
13 According to the National Sample Service Organization (NSSO), kutcha house refers to the kind of building structure that is non-permanent in nature. It is a structure whose walls and roofs are both made of non-pucca materials such as un-burnt bricks, bamboo, mud, grass, leaves, and reeds.
14 Semi-pucca houses are those that use at least one pucca material in the construction of either the roof or the wall. These are the most commonly found housing structures in villages of India.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 17
29% 24% 30%
11%
64% 55% 48% 89%
7% 21% 22%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
LAG Pillar Material by Role
Bamboo Concrete Post Wood
Fig. 2.17 Type of pillar material used
Nutrition security
TheLowerAssamGroupbeneficiaries,despitecomingfromthesomeofthepoorestdistrictsinnortheasternIndia,haveawell-balanceddiet.Morethan75percentofhouseholdsreportedeatingnon-vegetarianfoodmorethanthreetimesinamonth,whileallhouseholdsconsumedatleastonekindofpulse.Stapleslikepotato, tomato,andonionarepartofallhouseholds’meals,alongwithseasonalvegetables likeokra,jackfruit,yam,andleafygreens.Householdspredominantlyconsumericeandwheatastheirpreferredchoiceoffoodgrains.Consumptionofmilkandmilkproductsisratherlow,withlowcattleownershipandhighmarketratesforthesegoods.Withtheinclusionofpulses,grains,seasonal/leafyvegetables,andhighfrequencyofmeat/fishconsumption,thesehouseholdshavenutritiousdietaryhabits.
School-going patterns
It isauniversallyacceptedtruththateducationis themost important lever foreconomic,social,andpoliticaltransformation.Awell-roundededucationisapowerfulcatalystthatempowerschildrenwithknowledgeandskills,enablingthemtopushtheirfamiliesoutoftheviciouscircleoflow-payingjobsandlowstandardsofliving.
91%
100%
84%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Girls
Boys
State Average
LAG Under 17 Children Attending School
Fig. 2.18 School enrolment rates for children under 17 years old
Theaspirationof theLowerAssamGrouptobreakoutof theclutchesofpoverty isevident.Amongbeneficiaries,95percentofchildrenunder17yearsoldareenrolledinschools,farexceedingthestateaverageof84percent.Itisalsoextremelyencouragingtoseetheminimalgenderbias,with91percentenrolmentrateforgirls,comparedwith10percentforboys.
18
70%
30%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Government School
Private School
LAG School Type
Government School Private School
Fig. 2.19 Type of school attended by children younger than 17 years
Also, it isnoteworthythat30percentof thechildrenfromthesurveyedgroupattendprivateschool,whichdemonstratesthebeneficiaries’commitmenttotheirchildren’sfuture.Privateschoolsarebelievedtoofferahigherqualityofeducationintheregionthanpublicschools.SurveyedhouseholdsregularlystressedtheneedtoearmarkincomefromTamul-relatedworkforexclusiveuseonprivateschoolfees,academicbooks,andextra-curricularactivitiesfortheirchildren.
Lower Assam Group Conclusions
• LeafplateproducersandrawmaterialcollectorswithPPIscoresof32percentand28percentrespectively are themost likely among Lower AssamGroup beneficiaries to fall below thepovertyline.
• TamulPlates-relatedactivities are theprimary sourceof income for77percentof leafplateproducers,highlightingtheirheavyrelianceonTamulPlates.However,over75percentofaffiliateunitownersandrawmaterialcollectorstreatincomefromTamulPlatesascomplementarytoothersourcesofincome.
• 95percentofchildrenofschool-goingagearecurrentlyenrolledinschool,higherthanthestateaverageof84percent.30percentofthesechildrenattendprivateschool.
• Foodconstitutesthehighestpercentageofhouseholdexpense,at54percent.Meanwhile,onlyameagre7percentofmonthlyexpenseoutlaygoestowardssavings.
• Less than 20 percent of beneficiaries living outside Barpeta reside in permanent housingstructures(pucca),owingtotheuseofinferiormaterialssuchasbambooandtin.However,44percentofTamulfactoryworkersliveinpermanentstructuresowingtotheirlocationwithinBarpeta.
• With 77 percent of houses electrified, and 61 percent of respondents having access to safedrinkingwater,accesstoutilitiesamongtheLowerAssamGroupismoreorlessinlinewiththestateaverage.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 19
Upper Assam Group
Education
General Other Backward Castes Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes State Average
Fig. 3.1 Literacy rate among Upper Assam beneficiaries
Educationalattainmentasreflectedbytheliteracyrateforthevariouscastegroupsshowswidedisparities.While 100 percent of the men in the general population are literate,15 the corresponding rate forScheduledTribes(ST)isabysmallylowat38percent.ForScheduledCaste(SC)itstandsat50percent(asseeninFigure3.1).Theliteracyrateforthesetwocastegroupsisalsolowerthanthestateaverageof65percent.16ItappearsthatrespondentsinthegeneralandOBCcategorieshaveahigherlevelofeducationalattainmentthantheothergroupsandthestateaverage.
Progress out of Poverty™ (PPI)
16%
36%
11%
28%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Af#iliate Unit Owner Leaf Plate Producer Tamul Factory Worker Raw Material Collector/Agent
Per
cent
age
Lik
elih
ood
Likelihood of UAG Beneficiaries Falling Under $1.25 a Day Ultra Poverty Threshold
Fig. 3.2 Poverty likelihood for Tamul beneficiaries based on PPI Score
DatapresentedinFigure3.2showsthepovertylikelihoodforvariousbeneficiarygroupsbasedonthe$1.25-a-day-per-person(2005PPP)povertyline.Amongthosesurveyed,theleafplateproducershavethe highest likelihood (36 percent) of falling below the poverty threshold, followed by rawmaterialcollectors(28percent).Theaffiliateunitownershaveamongthelowestprobabilityoffallingbelowthepovertythreshold.
15 For the respondent group with only one woman beneficiary, a gender analysis of educational attainment doesn’t hold too much value. Literacy rates in this section correspond to male literacy rates.
16 According to national census data, overall literacy rate in Assam for the year 2011 stands at 65 percent, while male literacy rate is much higher at 75 percent.
Demographics of the Upper Assam Group
By gender:Male-19Female-1
By caste:General-3
ScheduledCaste-2ScheduledTribe-8
OtherBackwardCaste-7
20
Income and productivity
Affiliate unit owners
50%
25%
25%
Primary Source of Income
Cultivator
Self Employed in Agriculture
Other
100%
0%
Secondary Source of Income
Affiliate Unit Owner
Other Income sources
Fig. 3.3. Primary and secondary income sources for affiliate unit owners
Figure3.3showsthatincomefromTamulactivitiescomprisessecondaryincomeforaffiliateunitowners,with primary income for 75 percent of respondents coming from agricultural activities.TheUpperAssamGroup,givenitsrelativelystrongeconomicsituation,viewsthevillage-levelproductionunitasanopportunitytoinvestanddiversifytheirincomesourcesforgreatereconomicstability.
Leaf plate producers
IncomefromTamuliscrucialforthiscategoryofemployees;itservesastheprimaryincomesourcefor55percentofhouseholds.Figure3.4illustrateshow64percentofthebeneficiariesreporteddoingnootherworktocomplementtheirexistingincomesources,demonstratingextremelyhighdependencyonTamul-relatedincome.Tamuliscreatingfinanciallysecurealternativestoagriculturalemployment;thestrongneedforsuchalternativeshasdrivenhighenrolment.
36%
55%
9%
Primary Source of Income
Manual Labour
Leaf Plate Producer
Private Service
27%
9% 64%
Secondary Source of Income
Leaf Plate Producer
Cultivator
No Work
Fig. 3.4 Primary and secondary income for leaf plate producers
Raw material collectors
Forrawmaterialcollectors,collectingarecanut leaf sheathsandsupplyingthemtoTamulproductionunitsprovidesasupplementaryincomesource.Leafcollectionisnotadailyactivityandrequiresonlylimited time,providingampleopportunity for individuals topursueother income sources.However,incomefromsupplyofrawmaterialscruciallyboostsdisposableincomeforbeneficiaries,allowingthemtoincreaseconsumptionofserviceslikeeducationandhealthcare.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 21
20%
40%
20%
20%
Primary Source of Income
Manual Labour
Cultivator
Self Employed in Agriculture
Raw Material Collector
80%
20%
Secondary Source of Income
Raw Material Collector
No Work
Fig. 3.5 Primary and secondary income for raw material collectors
Tamul-related income is often considered a secondary source due to the fact that the village-levelproductionunitsandTamul’sownfactoryinBarpetadonotoperateyear-round.Productionstoppagesareduetotheseasonalityofrawmaterials,lackofworkingcapital,andinsecurityinastrife-tornregion.
10733
6563
5850
4850
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000
Affiliate Unit Owner
Leaf Plate Producer
Tamul Factory Worker
Raw Material Collector/Agent
Income (in Rs.)
Average Monthly UAG Household Income
Fig 3.6 Average monthly household income for Upper Assam Tamul households
Onaverage,thevillage-levelaffiliateunitownerhasthehighestmonthlyhouseholdincome(Rs.10,733)amongallthebeneficiarycategories.FortheleafplateproducersandTamulfactoryworkers,whorelymoreheavilyontheirTamulincomesource,theaveragemonthlyhouseholdincomeisRs.5,800–6,600(asillustratedinFigure3.6).
Household expenditure
Food 48%
Entertainment/Festivals, 6%
School Fees, 15%
Savings, 6%
Medicines, 6%
Loan Repayments, 11%
Miscellaneous, 8%
UAG Household Average Monthly Expenditures
Fig. 3.7 Breakdown of household monthly expenditure
22
FoodaccountedforthelargestportionoftheUpperAssamhouseholds’totalmonthlyexpenditure,at48percent.17Inmonetaryterms,householdsspendclosetoRs.3,800eachmonthonfoodalone,inlinewiththenationalaverageforafamilyoffive.18
Itisencouragingtosee15percentofexpendituregoingtowardsschoolfeesandtuitions,demonstratingafocusonensuringqualitylearningforchildreninthesehouseholds.
Overall, households exhibit high consumption patterns: food, miscellaneous activities, festivals, andentertainment amount to 62 percent of the total household expenditure. Concurrently, savings areextremelylow,withonly6percentofexpensesaccountedforassavings—lessthan10percentoftheexpenditureonfood.
Assets holding pattern
Asset ownership patterns demonstrate a strong relationship between income and type of asset. Low-incomehouseholdshavehigherownershipoflow-andmedium-costutilityandproductiveassets.19Withanincreaseinincome,itislikelythathouseholdswouldswitchfrompurchasingutilityassetstomedium-andhigh-costlifestyleandproductiveassets.
100%
85%
25% 20%
35% 45%
80%
55%
5% 10%
20%
5%
20%
0% 10% 10%
35%
15%
55%
25%
10%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Bed
Cha
ir
Wat
er D
rum
Wat
er P
urifi
er
Coo
k St
ove
Alm
irah/
Dre
ssin
g U
nit
Mob
ile
Bic
ycle
Sew
ing
Mac
hine
2 W
heel
er
Han
dloo
m
Inve
rter
Plou
gh
Trac
tor
Cas
sero
le/T
herm
os
Rad
io
DT
H
Silk
Clo
thes
Tele
visi
on
Bel
l Met
al U
tens
ils
3/4
Whe
eler
Utility Productive Lifestyle
Ow
ners
hip
of H
ouse
hold
Ass
ets
(in %
)
Household Asset Ownership by Asset Type
Fig. 3.8 - Distribution of household assets based on asset type
ThereareafewtrendsinassetownershipworthnotingfromthedatapresentedinFigure3.8:
• Utilityassetsarethemostcommonformofassetsownedbyhouseholdsinthisgroup.Theseincludelow-costassetslikechairsandbeds,andmedium-costassetssuchasalmirah/dressingunits.
• Householdsshowverylowownershipofhigh-costproductiveandlifestyleassetslikeinvertors,ploughs,tractors,orthree-andfour-wheelers.
• Mobilesandbicyclesareamongthemostinexpensiveproductiveassets.Theyalsohaveextremelyhighownershippatterns.
• ThemostpopularlifestyleassetsforthisgroupofbeneficiariesaretelevisionsandDTHs(cableboxes)sinceinmostcasestheyaretheonlyformofentertainmentavailableinthesevillages.
17 For this group of beneficiaries, the presence of one household (affiliate unit owner) was driving up the average household expenses, including the expense on food and school, and can be seen as an outlier. Therefore, for the purposes of calculating household expenses, that household was removed from the data set.
18 Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation National Sample Survey Office, “Key Indicators of Household Consumer Expenditure in India,” 2011-12. Available at: http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/key%20indicators%20of%20household%20consumer%20expenditure%202011-12.pdf. Last accessed January 30, 2015.
19 We use the same classification of assets — utility, productive, and lifestyle — as explained in Section 5.4.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 23
Overall,itcanbeinferredthatcostandtheutilityoftheassetsaretwocriticalfeaturesofanassettheseconsideredbythesehouseholdswhenmakingthedecisiontopurchase.
Landholding patterns
Landless 25%
Small and Marginal Farmer
40%
Medium Farmer 20%
Large Farmer
15%
UAG Landholding Status
Fig. 3.9 Landholding patterns based on land-size classification
Landholding patterns among beneficiaries of theUpper AssamGroup reveal that 40 percent of thehouseholdsownlandoflessthantwoacres,while25percentarelandless.Thesebeneficiaries’farmingactivityislargelyforsubsistence,resultinginloweconomicbenefittothehouseholds.
Theremaining35percentofthemediumandlargefarmersintheUpperAssamGroupuseirrigationtechniquesontheirland.Thisissignificantlyhigherthanthestateaverageof4.9percent,butbelowthenationalaverageof48.3percent.20
Housing and access to basic amenities
Electrification
95%
78% 85%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Upper Assam Group State Average National Average
Per
cent
of
Hou
seho
lds
UAG Household Electrification
Fig. 3.10 Electrification rate for Upper Assam households
TheUpperAssamGrouponanaveragereporteda95percentelectrificationrate,significantlyhigherthanboththestateaverageof78percentandthenationalaverageof85percent,basedon2010estimates.21
20 India Spend, “How UP Beats Maharashtra, Gujarat In Agriculture Productivity,” August 20, 2012. Available at: http://www.indiaspend.com/sectors/how-up-beats-maharashtra-gujarat-in-agriculture-productivity. Last accessed March 11, 2015.
21 Assam Directorate of Economics and Statistics, “Economic Survey, Assam,” 2011-12. Available at: http://ecostatassam.nic.in/ads_economic%20survey.pdf. Last accessed December 17, 2014
24
Itisimportanttocaveatthatelectrificationonlyrepresentsaccesstoanelectricalconnection,andnottheregularityofsupply;blackoutsandbrownoutsaremajorproblemsinAssam(asdiscussedinsection3.5).
Water
70% 63%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Upper Assam Group State Average
Per
cen
t of
Hou
seh
old
s
UAG Safe Drinking Water Access
Fig. 3.11 Access to safe drinking water
Due tohigh groundwater levels (thepresenceof variouswaterbodies andhighprecipitation rate), alargepercentageofhouseholdsinAssamhaveaccesstosafedrinkingwater.2270percentofhouseholdssurveyedinUpperAssamGrouphaveaccesstosafedrinkingwater,higherthanthestateaverageof63percent.23For anoverwhelmingmajorityofhouseholds in this group (97percent), thenearestwatersourcescanbereachedinfewerthan15minutes.
Sanitation
35%
48%
17%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Improved Sanitation Facilities Basic Sanitation Facilities Open Defecation
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
UAG Access to Improved Sanitation
Fig. 3.12 Sanitation facilities available for Upper Assam Group
Figure3.12shows48percentofUpperAssamgrouphouseholdsusebasicsanitationfacilitiesthroughsemi-permanentstructures, suchasopenandbrickpits,while17percentof thehouseholdssurveyedresortedtoopendefecation.35percentofhouseholdshaveaccesstoimprovedtoiletsthatdisposehumanwastehygienically.Thisnumber,thoughsignificantlyhigherthanthenationalaverageof25percent,isstillalarminglylowandonethatshouldincreasewithheightenedincomes.
22 Includes private handpump, public handpump and private tap
23 Indian Ministry of Finance, “Economic Survey, Statistical Appendix,” 2012-13. Available at: http://indiabudget.nic.in/es2012-13/estat1.pdf. Last accessed March 11, 2015.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 25
Housing structure and quality
67% 50%
22% 25%
33%
67% 50%
50%
11% 25%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
UAG Household Type
Kutcha Pucca Semi Pucca Fig. 3. 13 Distribution of house type
HouseholdsinUpperAssamGroupexhibitanon-lineartrendinhousingtypeandquality.Thesurveyresultsrevealthat45percentofthebeneficiariesliveinpuccahouses,whiletheremaining55percentliveineitherkutchaorsemi-puccahouses.Ashousingconstructionandimprovementisalong-termexpenseandactivity,beneficiariesmaybelieve inmakingbuildingchanges inapiecemeal fashion rather thanchangingwholesalefromakutchahousetoapuccapermanenthouse.
0% 11%
25%
100% 100% 89%
75%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
UAG Roof Material by Role
Straw/Thatch Tin Corrugat
Fig. 3.14 Distribution of roof material used by Upper Assam beneficiaries
Nearlyallhouseholds fromthe fourbeneficiarycategories,with the small exceptionof11percentofworkersataffiliateunitsand25percentofTamulfactoryworkers,choosecorrugatedtin,presumablytoprovideprotectionagainsttheharshweatherofAssam.Withincessantrainsandfrequentflooding,tinservesaseffectiveprotection,especiallywhencomparedtothealternativeofthatch/straw.
26
67%
100%
33% 50%
33%
33% 50%
33%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
UAG Wall Material by Role
Bamboo Bricks Cement Cement over Bamboo/Iqra
Fig. 3.15 Distribution of wall materials used by beneficiaries
Constructionof thesehouses reliesheavilyon locally available rawmaterials such asbamboo,wood,andiqra.Thesematerials,thoughusuallyviewedasinferior,provideincredibledurabilityinthefaceofrains,flooding,andevenearthquakes.Thisexplainswhyavastmajorityofhouseholdsacrossbeneficiarycategories currentlyusebamboo aswallmaterial. In50percent of the leaf collectors’ houses and75percentofTamulfactoryworkers’houses,pillarsareconstructedofconcrete,emphasizingtheneedforasolidframe.Thisneedforaruggedstructurewilllikelyleadtoalargepercentageofhouseholdsswitchingtobuildingwithcementandconcreteasincomesrise.
33% 25%
11% 25%
33%
33% 50%
44% 75%
33% 25%
11%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Affiliate Unit Owner Leaf Collector/Agent Worker at Affiliate Unit Worker at Tamul Factory
Per
cent
age
of H
ouse
hold
s
UAG Pillar Material by Role
Bamboo Cement Concrete Post Wood
Fig. 3.16 Pillar materials used by beneficiaries
Nutrition security
TheuniquegeographywhereTamulPlatesoperatesensuresthatbeneficiarieshaveaccesstobalanced,nutritious diets. Households grow various grains in their fields for domestic consumption. Closeproximitytofreshwatersourcesprovidesabundanceoffishandothernon-vegetarianfood.Infact,85percentofthehouseholdsinterviewedmentionedthattheyeatnon-vegetarianfoodatleastonceeveryweek.Of the households surveyed,more than 95 percent reported eating at least one type of pulseregularly.Consumptionpatternsintermsofbothqualityandfrequencyareextremelyhigh,especiallywhencomparedtootherstatesinIndia.Theserespondentsdietsarewellbalancedwiththepresenceofcarbohydrates(fromfoodgrains),protein(frommeat/fishandpulses),andvitaminandminerals(fromvegetablesandfruits).
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 27
However,theregionisseverelychallengedinaccessandaffordabilityofdairyproductslikemilk,paneer(cottagecheese),ghee(clarifiedbutter),andkhoya(condensedmilk).Only67percentofthehouseholdsinterviewedreportedconsumingdairyeitherneveroronlyoneortwotimesinamonth.
School going patterns for children
91%
89%
84%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Girls
Boys
State Average
UAG Under 17 Children Attending School
Fig. 3. 17 School enrolment rates for children under 17 years old
Thesurveyedhouseholdsinclude20school-agedchildrenof5-17yearsold,18ofwhomwereattendingschool(grossenrolmentrate of90percent).24Forboystheenrolmentrateis89percent,whereasforgirlstheenrolmentis91percent.Thesenumbersareallabovethestateaverage,againemphasizingtheimportanceofeducationforthebeneficiarygroup.25
83%
17%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Government School
Private School
UAG School Type
Fig. 3.18 Type of School attended by children less than 17 years old
Surprisingly, government schools still form the overwhelmingmajority, with 83 percent of childrenreportedattendingthem.Asignificantlysmallerpercentage(17percent)ofchildrenofbeneficiariesinthisgroupattendprivateschools.
24 Gross enrolment rate is the percentage of children of official school age who are enrolled in school compared to the total population of children of school-going age.
25 Gross enrollment rate (GER) in Assam for children between 5 and 10 years old is 106 percent, whereas for children 11-14 years old the GER is 83 percent. The gross enrollment ratio can be greater than 100 percent as a result of grade repetition and entry at ages younger or older than the typical age at that grade level.
28
Conclusion
• Leafplateproducersandrawmaterialcollectors,withPPIscoresof36percentand28percentrespectively, are themost likely amongUpper AssamGroup beneficiaries to fall below thepovertyline.
• TamulPlates-relatedactivities are theprimary sourceof income for55percentof leafplateproducers, highlighting a heavy reliance onTamulPlates.However, 100percent of affiliateunit owners and80percent of rawmaterial collectors treat income fromTamulPlates as acomplementtoothersourcesofincome.
• 91percentofboysand89percentofgirlsofschool-goingagearecurrentlyenrolledinschool,higherthanthestateaverageof84percent.Ofthese,only17percentattendprivateschool.
• Foodconstitutesthehighestpercentageofhouseholdexpenditure,at48percent.Bycontrast,only6percentofhouseholdexpenseoutlaygoestowardssavingseachmonth.
• With95percentofhouseselectrifiedand70percenthavingaccesstosafedrinkingwater,theaccesstoutilitiesamongtheUpperAssamGroupishigherthanthestateaverage.
• Permanent(pucca)housingisreasonablyhighamongUpperAssamGroupbeneficiaries,with33percentofaffiliateunitowners,67percentofaffiliateunitworkers,and50percentofTamulfactoryworkers living in suchhouses.However, noneof the leaf collectors surveyed live inpermanenthouses,insteadusinginferiorbuildingmaterialssuchasbambooandtin.
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 29
Dwijen Das (Age 48) Patla Village, Assam - Affiliate Unit Owner
Q: How did you get started making Tamul Leaf Plates?
Dwijen:“Threeyearsago,Isetupan[affiliateproductionunit]withtwomachinesatmyhomehereinPatla.LastyearIaddedathirdmachine.Nowthewholefamilyishelpingtomakeplatesinadditiontoourworkonthefarm.”
Q: How has working with Tamul Plates helped you most?
Dwijen:“MywifeKanchanhelpsbycleaninganddryingtheleaves.Afewyearsagoshedevelopedkidneystonesthatrequiredsurgery.Wewereabletousethemoneyearnedfromtheleafproductiontopaythemedicalbillswithoutanylongtermshockstothefamily,andshehassincereturnedtofullhealth.”
Q: How else have you spent the extra money earned making plates?
Dwijen:“Ihavebuiltasturdierhousewithaconcretefoundationandpillars.Ihavealsoexpandeditfromtwotofourroomssothefamilyhasmorespace.”
Q: What comes next?
Dwijen:“Myson(Dwijen’sson)Jituparnahasdreamsofexpandingtheunitandemployingdaylaborersfromthevillage.”
Q: What does this work mean to you?
Dwijen:“I’mhappytofulfilltheneedsofmychildren.Idon’tthinkaboutmyself.Mysonhastakenonalotofresponsibilities.Forexample,heplantedacropofpotatoesthisyearthat’sexpectedtobringinagoodprofit.Ialsohaveasavingsaccountforeachofmychildrenandput300rupeesawayintoeachofthemeverymonth.”
EMPLOYEE PROFILES
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Subanti Das, Relative of Pranjit Das, (Age 50)Chamuagati Village, Assam - Leaf Plate Producers
Q: How did you get started working with Tamul Plates?
Subanti: “My relativeowns a leafproductionunit andhashired six employees tohelpout.My jobis towash leavesbefore theyarepressed intoplatesandsometimeshelpwithpackagingandrunningmachines.”
Q: Do you like this job?
Subanti:“IammakingalotmorewithTamulthanIcouldwithagovernment-scheduledjob.Thisjobisclosetomyhome.”
Q: What do you like about your job?
Subanti:“Thebestpartofthisjobis,it’snotinthehotsun.It’sintheshadeandeasytodo.Itfitsineasilywithmyhousework.Icanearnmoneyathomeandnotbeonthefarm.IfIneedanadvanceonmysalary,Icaneasilygetalittle.ImakealotmorewithTamulthanIcouldwithagovernment-scheduledjob.”
Q: What do you spend your income on?
Subanti:“,Idonotgivemysalarytomyhusbandbutratherdecidehowtospendit,onmyown.Ioftenpayforhouseholdgoodsandmychildren’sschoolexpenses.”
Q: Are you saving up for anything right now?
Subanti:“IhavesavedupRs.1000fortheHolifestivaltobuyfoodformyrelativestocelebrate.”
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 31
Arup Pathak, (age 31)Barpeta, Assam -Technical manager for Tamul Plates
Q: How did you get started working with Tamul Plates?
Arup:“Istartedasafieldcoordinator,visitingnearbyvillagestorecruitemployeesandoverseethefactory.NowIdoresearchanddevelopmentfornewproducts,suchasourleafdryers.Ispenttwoyearsrefiningthecurrentdryer.Wehadtothrowawayfourofthemuntilwegotitright.Ireallybelieveintrialanderroruntilyougetthere."
Q: Can you tell us about the leaf dryer?
Arup:“TheleafdryerIcreatedenablesthecompanytocontinueproducingplatesduringthemonsoonseason,whenArecanutleavesaresaturatedinwaterandgomoldyifstackedwet.ThedrierenablesTamulPlatestoexpandproductionandemploymentyear-round.”
Q: Do you enjoy working with your brother?
Arup:“Iamveryexcitedaboutthis.Myelderbrotheristheproductionmanager.Iamhisboss,butit’sareasonablyflatorganization.Ijoinedthecompanyfirst,andweworkinseparateareas,sothere’snorealcompetition.”
Q: What are your goals for the future?
Arup:"Mygoalhasalwaysbeentodosomethingthatwillsetmeapart.IfeelthatmyworkatTamuldoesthat.Iwantourbusinesstogrow—forexample,wecouldusebamboofiberstomakeproducts,wearealreadytestingthis.Iwalkaroundwithdesignsinmyheadfornewmachines.”
Q: What are your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your job?
Arup:"IguessmybiggesttalentswouldbethatIhavefocusandperseverance.Idon'tgiveup.MybiggestflawisthatIcannotspeakEnglish.Ihavestudieditsomuch,andeveryoneatTamulteasesmeandtriestogetmetospeakit,butIjusthaveablockorsomething."
"TheonethingpeopleshouldknowaboutmeisthatIamdependable."
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Ajit Das and Chandra Shil (ages 48) Barangabari Village, Assam - leaf collectors
Q: How do you know each other?
Ajit:“Weareboth48yearsold.Wegrewupinthesamevillage,wenttothesameschool,marriedtwosisters,andhavebeenbestfriendsallourlives.Nowweworktogether,too,inarecanutleafcollection.”Q: How do you spend your salary from Tamul Plates?
Ajit:'Theincomeweearngoestonecessaryhouseholdneedslikefood,education,andhealthcosts.”Q: What does the future of your work with Tamul Plates look like?
Chandra:“Weareagents,goingfromhousetohousebuyingleavesthattheresidentshavecollected.We’retryingtocollectmoreleavesandgetmoreyouthinvolved.”Ajit:"Theyoungpeoplearejustsittingaround,sotheymightaswelldosomethingtomakeincome.Wehavehiredsixteenagerssofar.”Q: How many households do you collect from?
Ajit:“Icollectfrom39households,andChandracollectsfrom35households.”Q: What are your dreams for the future?
Ajit:"Wewantmoreincomeandmoreemployees.Wewanttomarryoffourchildren—butifoursonsordaughterswanttogotouniversity,wewillsupportthem.Welookforwardtobeingoldtogether.”
Tamul Plates Social Impact Report: 2014 Baseline 33
Padumi Pathak (Age 43)Barpeta, Assam - Leaf Dryer Operator
Q: What is your job here?
Padumi:“Ioperatetheleafdryerwiththreeotherwomen.”
Q: What do you enjoy about working at the Tamul Plates factory?
Padumi:“Ilikemyjobbecauseoftheincome.Icanspenditonthehousehold—dal,rice,andsomefish,andonthechildren,fortheirclothesandeducation.”
Q: Do other women in your neighborhood work?
Padumi:“No,nobodyelse inmyvillagestepsoutof thehouse.Theydoweavingor livestockcareathome.BeforeIfoundthisjobIwasbored.”
Q: How do you feel about working outside the home?
Padumi:"WhenIwanttocomparemyselftootherwomen,IfeelproudthatIamgoingoutofthehouseanddoingthiswork."
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Tanjit Pathak (Age 22)Barpeta Assam - Leaf Plate Producer
Q: How long have you worked with Tamul and what is your job?
Tanjit:“Ihaveworkedhereforfouryears,sinceIwas18,andIrunthemachines.”
Q: Tell us about your typical day here
Tanjit:“Icometoworkat6amtobeginheatingthemachines.Theyarereadytostartby6:45,andweworkuntil2pmwithabreakforlunch.At2pm,Icountmyplatesandcleanupfortheday.”
Q: Where do you live? Do you have a wife?
Tanjit:“I liveclosetoherewithmyparentsandsisters.Mydadcooksinahotel,andIworkheretosupportthefamily.”
Q: What do you spend your money on?
Tanjit:“Igiveabout60percenttomyfamilyandtherestIspendonclothes,festivals,andmymobilephone.”
Q: What do you want for your future?
Tanjit:“IhavetwofriendsincollegebutIdon’twanttogotothere.Thisjobprovidesenoughtosupportmyfamily,soI’mhappyjusttocontinuehere.”
Q: What is your favorite part about your job?
Tanjit:“IjustreturnedfromatriptoBhutan,whichwasthefirsttimeIhaveleftAssam.IwentwithSantanu,theFactoryManager,toinstalltheirfirstaffiliateproductionunitandtostayforoneweektotrainthenewowners.”
Q: Wow, what was that experience like?
Tanjit:“Ireallylikedit.Iwanttotravelmoreanddomoretrainingslikethat.”
About UpayaUpayaSocialVentures(alsoreferredtoas“Upaya”)isbuildingbusinessesthatcreatejobsandimprovethequalityoflifeforthe“ultrapoor.”WedothisbyprovidingseedfundingandbusinessdevelopmentsupporttopromisingentrepreneursthatcancreatehundredsofjobsinIndia’smostimpoverishedcommunities.Asthesesmallbusinessesgrow,theywillgeneratesustainable,well-payingjobsforfamilieslivinginextremepoverty.AsofMarch2015,thisworkhasresultedinsixfinanciallyhealthy,scalablebusinessesthathavecreatednear1,200jobsinlocalcommunities.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwww.upayasv.org.
Written by: Jyotsna Taparia and Vickram Saigal, Upaya Social VenturesCopyediting: Katherine GustafsonLayout: Alexandra Albu and Steve SchwartzPhotographer: Laurel Curran. All Photos are property of Upaya Social Ventures.
Special thanks to Arindam Dasgupta, Debaleena Ray, Sachi Shenoy, Aparna Arora, and Sreejith Nedumpully
About Tamul PlatesTamulPlatesproducesandmarketshigh-quality,all-naturaldisposableplatesandbowlsmadefromarecanut(palm)treeleavesundertheTambulLeafPlatesbrand.ThecompanyproducesdinnerwarethroughanetworkofaffiliatesacrossthetribalregionsofNortheastIndia,ensuringthateachaffiliatehastheskillsandmachineryneededtoproducesuperior-qualityarecanutproducts.Thecompanyisworkingtogeneratemaximumvalueforboththeruralproducerandurbancustomerthroughproductionandmarketingofhighqualityproductsinanecologicallysustainablemanner.FormoreinformationonTamulPlates,pleasevisitwww.tpmc.co.in.