Consistent with the workshop theme of providing integrated, i.e. financial and non-financial, services to women in fishing communities, three working groups crafted specific recommendations covering appropriate policies, technologies and financial support for the improvement and expansion of microfinance programmes for the sector.
Recommendations for changes in the policy framework were made which aimed at creating better opportunities for women in coastal fishing communities to enhance their economic and social role and enable them to participate in development efforts, rehabilitation and conservation of the coastal and aquatic environment. The relevant areas of policy recommendations were further identified to cover both specific activity- and institution-related interventions.
Activity-related intervention 1. Mariculture
Government of India to draft guidelines for leasing territorial waters and lands of states to coastal communities for sustainable fish, mussel, oyster, pearl and shrimp culture, lobster/crab fattening and feed production, with particular emphasis on women and women's cooperatives and associations. Based on these guidelines, state governments should then develop lease policies and introduce legislation.
State governments to identify and implement new demonstration projects and set up same for proven and verified technologies.
All-India coordinated and specific projects to be revived and implemented.
Activity-related intervention 2. Post-harvest
Shore-based infrastructure such as link roads to landing centres, minitrucks and cars for transport and improved marketing infrastructure to be created with public funding.
Promote hygienic drying, packing and storage technologies and value-added fishery products.
Increase women's participation in harbour management and maintenance.
Activity-related intervention 3. Welfare and empowerment
Promote functional literacy, particularly among fishers' children by providing special incentives.
Ensure provision of social services such as safe drinking-water, housing and sanitary facilities.
Ensure fishing families are sensitized on sea safety measures.
Promote skill development for fisherwomen in specific areas of opportunities.
Involve fisherwomen in resource conservation and management decisions and ensure their representation in organizations affecting their livelihoods.
Institution-related intervention 1. Banks and insurance agencies
Financial institutions to set aside funds as soft loans/grants for training and capability building of SHGs.
Rationalize interest rates on microcredit by linking it with prime lending rate.
Expand and extend facilities and guidelines for SHGs for microenterprises.
Extend group insurance coverage to SHGs as in the case of seagoing fishers.
Institution-related intervention 2. Governmental and non-governmental organizations and local bodies
Promote and encourage more NGOs working exclusively for fisherwomen's welfare.
Promote and ensure a stronger and more effective coordination between NGOs and local bodies.
Ensure that there is no discrimination between SHGs promoted by NGOs and government departments.
Support convergence of fisheries programmes implemented by governments and NGOs at the national, state and district levels.
Institution-related intervention 3. Research instititutions
Identify the felt needs of the communities and end users.
Promote synergy among different research programmes.
Set up a core group in the DAH&D to coordinate activities of research institutions.
Equip research institutions with funds for training and extension components independently.
Establish pilot projects in areas identified by the states to demonstrate proven and verified technologies.
Publish and disseminate researches on proven technologies among and across target groups.
It was also suggested that a feasibility study be carried out to establish a national network of fisherwomen's organizations in India. NABARD and BOBP were identified as focal points in facilitating information exchange and coordination.
Recommendations and output of this working group provide a sound technical base for further expansion of microfinance support to income-generating activities and microenterprises that can be gainfully undertaken by women in coastal fishing communities in India. They provide valuable guidance for NGOs, fisherwomen's and fishermen's associations and government agencies and institutions that intend to expand their ongoing activities or initiate new programmes in support of women in fishing communities.
Many of the income-generating activities and microenterprises identified in the case of India might also provide useful information for other countries in South and Southeast Asia that might want to expand and reorient their programmes in support of women in coastal fishing communities, food security and poverty alleviation. All of the activities and enterprises identified make sustainable and responsible use of natural resources and thus contribute to the rehabilitation and conservation of the coastal environment and resources while improving the socio-economic well-being of coastal communities.
The following have been identified as the most suitable income-generating activities and microenterprises for women in coastal fishing communities in India.
Mariculture: mussel and oyster culture, crab fattening.
Aquaculture: backyard nurseries and hatcheries for carp and prawns.
Fish and fishery product processing: smoked and dried fish, breaded and battered fishery products, fish silage preparation and shellcraft production.
Services: fish fast food counters, fish vending stalls, setting up and maintenance of aquaria, contract cleaning for fish markets, net-making.
Agriculture: organic farming of vegetables, ornamental plant nurseries, vermi-compost.
The appropriate technologies to be used, cost of capital investment and working capital, suitable geographic areas and environments where the activities can be carried out and agencies that could provide vital inputs/linkages are presented in more detail in Annex VII.
Recommendations for financial support focused on strengthening credit delivery mechanisms but took on a more integrated or "credit plus" approach. The group believed this approach to be more appropriate and responsive to the needs of women in fishing communities and endorsed the following.
Innovative financial instruments and loan products
The special concerns of fishing communities such as extreme seasonality, high risk and high levels of seasonal migration require innovative financial tools, specialized loan products and insurance/risk management instruments. It was thus recommended that MFIs take the initiative in identifying, introducing and supporting these innovations. Financial intermediaries such as NGOs or federations should explore the possibility of building their own risk funds with matching contributions from government or MFIs that have grant funds.
Capability building
Investments in capability building and training activities for those involved in microfinance provision and their clients were strongly endorsed. For women's groups, identified priority areas include leadership development, financial and business management skills, entrepreneurship and vocational training in pre- and post-harvest activities that relate to alternative employment opportunities. For NGOs working with fishing communities, improved managerial capacity to scale up their work and strengthen marketing and other linkages was recommended. MFIs need to provide financial support for marketing consultants and other business management professionals, as needed.
Study on group lending models
An in-depth study to document and analyse the relative efficiency of the various group lending models in the context of empowerment of women in fishing communities, including models outside the SHG-bank linkage programmes and other successful models in other countries, was suggested. FAO assistance in the conduct of such study was considered necessary.
Gendered statistics
There is a need to disaggregate lending statistics and financial records by occupation and gender in order to obtain an accurate and meaningful picture regarding the outreach of microfinance programmes to women in fishing communities. It was observed that existing data on microfinance programmes available with financial institutions and NGOs do not reflect the grassroots-level outreach of such programmes in the sector.
Integrated coastal development
The use of public funding for integrated development of coastal fishing communities, particularly the hard and "soft" (social services) infrastructure requirements, was strongly recommended. The Rural Infrastructure Development Fund was identified as a possible source of funding for this purpose.
Pilot project
A pilot project was proposed to put in practice an integrated approach to coastal community-based development involving women to incorporate the dimensions of alternative livelihoods, community participation in coastal resource management, women empowerment through appropriate credit delivery mechanisms, capability building and infrastructure development. It was proposed that the Government of India and NABARD initiate the pilot project, with technical assistance from FAO.
