Agriculture contributes nearly 14.5 % of India’s GDP but more than 60% of workforce is workforce depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Hence agriculture is considered as the backbone of India. Being home to more than 17% of world’s population and due to constant increase in population at an alarming rate the pressure on agricultural land is being increasing constantly. On the contrary agricultural land is reducing due to industrialization and growing number of cities, thus creating job opportunities for skilled and unskilled labors. Due to all these reasons and changing life style migration is a major challenge for the rural economy. Although there are different opinions about positive and negative effect of migration, but in long term migration is not a solution. So there is an urgent need to generate alternative employment within the villages to stop migration.

Jamnagar is known as Halar in Saurashtra region. It is situated at the sea coast of Gujarat. Natural calamities like uneven rainfall, drought, and earth quake affect the farmers. Kharachia village of Jodiya block is situated near the sea coast. Total population of the village is 1860 comprising of major communities like Patel, Rajput, Bharwad, Koli and Harijan. Rainfed agriculture is the major source of livelihood in this village. Fadsar, Kharachia, Utbet sampar and Zinzuda are the 4 villages selected under IWMP-10 (Integrated Watershed Management Programme- Fadsar cluster). According to village survey conducted before preparation of Detailed Project Report, after the monsoon season due to lack of work agriculture and casual labors migrates to nearby cities and women were confined to stay back at home without any work. Women could not go for work as per the socially imposed structure. During survey and focus group discussion with the villagers it was elicited that women want to do home based works without hindering their daily household works.

After providing various concepts building training for SHGs, Shree Khodiyar Bachat Mandal was formed with 10 members in May 2012 with monthly small savings of Rs. 300 (@ Rs. 30 per member at Dena Bank, Aamran branch. Before finalizing livelihood activity under IWMP, various group level and village level meeting were conducted by the watershed development team. As there is a predominant demand of the sewing work for the local market and according to the requirement of the group for home based work, sewing activity was selected for this group.

In November 2013 a memorandum of understanding was signed between VWC and SHG to start the activity. Ten sewing machines were purchased at the cost of Rs 6200/- each and Rs. 30000/- for purchasing procuring raw materials from nearby market at Dhrol, Aamran and Morbi.

One month training and workshop programme on sewing activity was arranged by the Project Implementing Agency (DWDU) for imparting necessary skills to the SHG. Other trainings were also conducted in coordination with Vikas charitable trust as per demand of SHG members with support of VWC and WDT members.

Fig. 1 : Training on sewing of Shri Khodiyar Saving Mandal

After implementing the activity there is remarkable growth of their business. Now after 3 months the group is able to earn Rs3000 (approx) per month. The work orders of items like stitching uniform (150 rs/piece), blouse (120 rs/piece), fall (30 rs/item), dress material (100 rs/piece) from nearby blocks has been increasing constantly. The group has also started to make cushion cover (80 rs/piece) and carry bag (30 rs/piece) to sell in their own village and nearby villages.

Fig. 2 : Sewing activity of Shri Khodiyar Saving Mandal

According to the president Jyotiba Parakramsinh Jadeja of Shree Khodiyar Bachat Mandal : “All of us are women residing in Kharachia village belong to other backward caste (OBC). Our literacy level is very low and our family is totally dependent on our husbands, who were the sole breadwinners of our families. Thus, managing the household expenses was always a major problem and we had to slowly cut down our food expenses in order to meet the children’s education expenditure. Now after starting sewing business our economic status has increased as we have started contributing to our family”

This small initiative has brought a great economical and social change in their lives. With the extra source of income the women are not only contributing to their family income but also started lending to other members. The group members have started to participate in the decision making process inside their houses. Even in social gathering and Gram Sabha’s the group has started their participating actively. Considering the escalating demand of the products the group is now planning to expand their business. This micro entrepreneurship is not only helping this village to reduce migration but also acting as a role model for women empowerment.

Contributors: Smit Hingrajiya (Technical Expert), WDT Team (IWMP-10), DWDU Jamnagar

Luhar Anusuya Ben, a female resident of remote village Adivada which is a part of Becharaji taluka, belongs to a deeply conservative family where she is the head of the family. The idea of women leaving their homes to earn livelihood is inconceivable in this strata of the society. Over the last few years, the economic situation of her family had gradually declined to an eventual standstill as they are doing labour work to survive. Anusuya ben ultimately decided to explore alternative means of income generation to provide her children a better living standard.

The total project area of the Adivada (IWMP-4) village is about 793.5 Ha of which 393.5 Ha is proposed to be treated under Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). The nearest town is Bechraji which is about 10 to 20 Km from watershed area, which is well connected by pucca road. The project area lies in nearest boundary of patan district. Patel, Thakor, Rabai, Harijan, Darbar community resides in the village.

As Anusuya ben had the skills of making handicraft items, she was chosen as the livelihood beneficiary of the IWMP project. She had been given the training through Chuvad Gram Vikas Trust for making the handicraft items for one week. She had found the training useful for adding values to her skills of making handicraft and marketing with business representatives of different locale. As per Anusuya Ben “ The training took me a step ahead involved in making handicrafts of decorative items, how to improve upon their quality and how to meet the demand.”

Fig. 1 : Displaying Handicraft Items during National conference team visit (Rajasthan team) at Mehsana

For initiating the work she had been given a financial support of Rs. 10,000 under IWMP Project during Aug 2013. From that money she purchased the raw materials required for making handicraft items from Mahesana & Ahmedabad at wholesale price. She prepared the handicraft items at home like decorative wall hangings, door hangings, pearl anklets, bangles etc. She sells her handicrafts items at the neighboring villages of Adivada and also manages to bring order from the customer easily.

Her business has been doing well and she would like to continue developing it by streamlining the goods and products that are high in demand. Anusuya Ben business generates Rs. 50/- to Rs 70/- on per item. Every month she sells around 50 handicraft products which fetches her Rs. 2500/- to Rs. 3500/- per month respectively. A portion of her income is invested in the business while the rest contributes to the household expenses.

According to Anusuya ben : “Life has been good. I get enough money to sustain my family and I get to meet people and organize my Store of handicraft items on project occasions at Adivada Village. It has made me more responsible and improved the financial situation of my family.” 

Fig. 2 : Display of items in front of Anusuya Ben's home

Although it is a very small step taken for livelihood augmentation but it has bring a remarkable positive impact in her life. For future prospect of her business DWDU Mehsana is continuously involved for capacity building and scaling up the business.


Contributor: Bhatt Rajal Ben (WDT CM), Choudhary Balwant Bhai (WDT Agri), Deepali Solanki (Technical Expert), Arun Adhikari (Technical Expert)

Introduction 

Watershed management has emerged as an important intervention for supporting natural resource based livelihood mean in different agro-climatic regions in India and Gujarat. This case study is discussing the high level of community participation in watershed management. This programme is being implemented by the District Watershed development Unit, Amreli under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). This intervention created an awareness and participation among women residing in the rural pockets of Amreli, which had empowered them to play a positive role in holistic development of themselves and the society. The user groups and self-help groups were also closely associated with economical issues, thus directly contributing to the economic and social development of Sanaliya village under Liliya Taluka, Dist. Amreli.

 

Role of Women 

Women have played an ‘invisible’ role for a long period of time in the economic development of rural areas, as they have been perceived as helpmates, wives and mothers, and as generally subservient to the dominant economic work of men, both in farming and outside it. The Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in micro watersheds have received much attention from the policy makers and others for their perceived ability to contribute significantly to the economic growth and poverty alleviation. These groups are homogenous groups having common interest who are dependent on the watershed area such as: landless laborers, agricultural laborers, rural women, shepherds, scheduled castes/tribes etc. Around 50 per cent of villagers who are directly or indirectly dependent on watersheds should generally be enrolled as members in the SHGs. Evidences show that the SHGs are formed mostly for Women-oriented activities.

Fig.2 : STUDY AREA: IWMP 7 (Batch II) Sanaliya Village, Liliya Taluka, District Amreli

District Watershed Development Unit,(DWDU),Amreli in its endeavor had facilitated the SHG “Shree Jee Self Help Group” in Sanaliya village lies under Kutana Cluster in IWMP-8 (Batch 2) in Liliya Taluka.

• Name of SHG: Shree Jee Self Help Group 
• Number of Members: 14 (ALL WOMEN) 
• Date of Formation: 26/07/2011 
• Status of Participants: APL Mission: To enhance and strengthen economical status of members. 

 

Introductory Level

At the very first stage of planning process of the cluster, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), was done with the help of the villagers and the Watershed Committee, in which a special meeting was held only Women in which information regarding SHG was put forward, and its members were decided duly on democratic pattern, after that SHG nomenclature was done, and the name of SHG "Shree Jee Self Help Group" was coined.

 

Activities Chosen

After the formation of the SHG a meeting was carried out to choose the activity(s) under the supervision of WDT-CME and Nodal of PIA and in this meeting the members were asked to interact with each other and to discuss what activity(s) to be carried out in the SHG. The thing which came out of the discussion was that to make different kinds of Home decoration handicraft as it was a tradition over here to gift it in marriages and other auspicious events. The members also said that there is a vast opportunity of selling these items as there is an availability of local market demand for these items.

 

Pre Activity Work

Before starting the Handicraft Activities a proper well structured training session was needed. The SHG members of Shree Jee SHG decided had undergone a comprehensive training in the nearby village of Godavadar. A local trainer is employed for the purpose. The SHG members went on to training in the day time and practiced the same at night. The training was organized for a month to enable them to gain expertise. The trainees of the SHG were certified by DWDU Amreli.

Fig.3 : Training to SHG	Fig.4 : SHG Members Practicing at Common Place
Fig.5 : Training and Practicing session of Handicraft Making by SHG Members

Fig.6 : Training Certificate Distribution

Fig.7 : Training Certificate Distribution

 

Post Activity

After the training and practicing session for one month the SHG members were now quiet familiar as well as well expertise with SHG activities as well as Handicraft making. Later on they started selling the handicraft items on small scale. Later with the increased familiarity and demand they went on to join hands with the "Ramapir SHG Group" functioning in "Bhurakhiya Village" under IWMP-10,Chhabhadiya Cluster to open a Handicraft selling shop near the famous "Bhurakhiya Hanuman Temple" which use to sell the handicraft items from different villages. It sells the products on Commission basis. The shop was opened on 11/02/2013.

Fig.8 : Handicraft Selling Shop at Bhurakhiya Hanuman Temple, Bhurakhiya Village, Lathi Taluka

 

Handicraft Store 

“The SHG’s participated in Gram Haat organized at Ahmedabad on 28/02/13 to 02/03/2013 and they sold items worth Rs.6000.Taking together of items sold at Amreli and Ahmedabad it constitutes of Rs.17000.”

 

Conclusion

The whole program not only made the women of Sanaliya village economically established but also boosts up Self Confidence and now they can achieve a greater responsibility in Society. The most pivotal thing to be marked here is the Decision Making role of them, in their socio-economic life. Indeed their success can be summarized as a role model for other Watershed intervene Livelihood activities.


Contributors: DWDU Amreli, Nischal Chudasama (Technical Expert)