Paper

Micro-Enterprise Development with Innovative Community and Market Linkages

How can self help groups help in eliminating regional poverty?
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This paper presents a regional strategy for eradicating absolute poverty in two areas of the Alappuzha district in Kerala, India. The paper presents the following salient features of the proposed poverty eradication strategy:

  • The prime movers in the sustainable development process are the micro-enterprises that cater to the local demand or process the local products for sale outside the region;
  • Women self help groups (SHGs) have set up these micro-enterprises. The strategy involves:
    • Setting up a marketing organization on commercial lines;
    • Meeting the demand generated by micro-enterprises through a systematic expansion of products;
    • Supporting this backward linkage through group's farming organizations, innovative technologies and institutional support systems;
    • Emphasizing water, sanitation and health education;
    • Encouraging backward and forward linkages and inter-sectoral partnerships;
    • Coordinating and implementing the program through partnerships with the government and various organizations.

The paper outlines the objectives of the project, which include:

  • Generating employment opportunities for women;
  • Developing fisheries and agriculture as sources of income;
  • Organizing a marketing company specially for micro-enterprises;
  • Achieving total housing and sanitation;
  • Improving the health status in the region;
  • Empowering women and the poor through effective functioning of their SHGs;
  • Providing support to micro-enterprises outside the project area.

The paper concludes by discussing the various aspects of the program, such as:

  • Key activities;
  • Production and marketing;
  • Production infrastructure;
  • Technology and finance;
  • Monitoring.

About this Publication

By Karunakaran, C., Jayaraj, G., Venkiteswaran, T., Nazar, R.
Published