Microfinance programmes generally aim to protect incomes and empower specific sectors of the population. In the Indian context, microfinance is specifically defined as the "provision of thrift, credit and other financial services and products of very small amounts to the poor in rural, semi-urban or urban areas, to enable them to raise their income levels and improve their living standards". In India, as elsewhere, women constitute the majority of users and clients of microcredit and savings services.
In most societies, as in India, small-scale fishing and fish farming households are considered one of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Microfinance programmes are seen as a means for these households to gain access to much-needed credit services that are appropriate for their needs. More specifically, the development objective of microfinance for poor, small-scale fishing and fish farming communities is to enable them to increase their incomes, smoothen consumption, develop microenterprises, manage risks better and enhance their earning capacities, thus reducing their economic and social vulnerabilities. Moreover, because women comprise a significant proportion of such households, microfinance should also serve as an effective tool to assist and empower women in fishing communities.
It is in this context that the national workshop was organized. Its main objective was to analyse and document recent experiences with microfinance programmes in support of women and poverty alleviation in coastal fishing communities in India and to draw conclusions with regard to best practices in this field. The workshop also aimed to provide guidance to financial institutions, governmental and non-governmental institutions involved in fisheries development, fishermen's and women's associations, donors, and other stakeholders for the future development of microfinance programmes and other necessary support services.
Ultimately it is hoped that the lessons learned from the exchange of experiences in the workshop will be applied to improve the socio-economic well-being of fishing communities, contribute to food security and poverty alleviation and encourage the conservation and rehabilitation of the coastal environment and the sustainable use of fisheries and other aquatic resources.
The workshop was organized by FAO, in cooperation with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) as the host organization. It was a follow-up to the recommendations of the recently concluded Regional Workshop on Microfinance Programmes in Support of Responsible Aquaculture and Marine Capture Fisheries in Asia, held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in December 2002. This regional workshop was also organized by FAO, the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) of Thailand and the Asia Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA).
The workshop, while highlighting best practices in financial support for women in fishing communities, had a broader and multidimensional perspective. As such, the presentations, discussions and recommendations were not only limited to financial support but also covered the following important thematic areas: government policies and initiatives, research, technology development, appropriate support services and other financial interventions for the sector. This is reflected in the representations of the 39 participants who attended the workshop: senior representatives of central and state fisheries administrations, financial institutions, fisheries research, academe, training institutions and foundations, fishermen's and women's associations and an intergovernmental organization. The list of participants is attached as Annex I.
The four-day workshop was organized with six technical sessions as the core activity and a half-day field visit to a local brackishwater fish farm in Ela Dhangi, Goa. The specifics of the workshop programme are given in Annex II. A total of 32 papers coverimg the thematic areas were presented and discussed, the complete list of which is given in Annex III. Three working groups were formed and tasked to formulate recommendations in the field of appropriate policies at the central and state levels, technologies and appropriate income-generating activities and microenterprises and financial and other support services for women in fishing communities.
The report is divided into four parts, plus Annexes. The Introduction constitutes Part 1. The second part summarizes the workshop proceedings according to the thematic areas. Part 3 documents selected best practices in microfinance programmes in fishing communities, while the last part details specific recommendations and proposals.
