Natural Resource Management - An Option of Livelihood Promotion

This paper reviews the performance of Sagar Club, a self help group (SHG) in Orissa, India. The club had the following features:

• High degree of homogeneity among the 38 members in terms of class and caste structure;
• Good credit-savings position;
• Operationally efficient:
  • Regular in book-keeping and meetings;
  • Decisions made by common consent;
  • The president and secretary motivated and encouraged members.

The paper states that there was a remarkable change in the livelihood options and opportunities of the members as well as the entire village through the interventions of the Sagar Club. It describes the activities of the club:

• The group's intervention in soil and water conservation, with the help of Grameen Vikas Trust, increased the availability of water, the productivity of paddy and led to the cultivation of rice-fish;
• It renovated and utilized an unused muddy pond leading to income from fishery, for which the pond was used;
• It used 10 acres of barren, unutilized land for cashew plantation;
• It also took up livestock enterprises.

The paper lists the following strengths of the club:

• It was high in quality and institutional sustainability;
• Its biggest strength was the support of Grameen Vikas Trust, which contributed by:
  • Providing funds;
  • Conducting regular training and exposure visits for soil and water conservation measures and other income generating activities;
  • Imparting technical expertise;
  • Initiating participation in the work and developing a sense of belongingness amongst members.