ALTERNATE LIVELIHOODS LED BY WOMEN FOR ECO-SUSTAINABILITY

District Dholpur is one of the least developed districts of India and has been taken up as one of the aspirational districts ( 115 districts throughout the country identified as focused areas because of the prevalent multi-dimensional issues of poverty ) list of the Govt of India.

Dholpur located in the north-eastern part of Rajasthan is one of the most backward districts in the state of Rajasthan in terms of development parameters. It has a Human Development Index of 0.49 placing it at a rank of last third among the 33 districts in the state. 

The geographical terrain is characterized by 3 typologies: (a) ravines which run parallel along the Chambal river wherein lands are highly undulating and erosion prone; and highly degraded forest areas (b) daang  area (upper catchment of Chambal and Parvati rivers) spreading across parts of 4 out of 5 blocks of Dholpur in a range of 5-25 km wherein the region is an undulating stony terrain with thin soil cover; with few clusters of thick forest and large patches of stone mines (c) middle and lower catchments of Parvati river where there is good soil depth, mostly spreading across one block – Rajakhera. Average annual rainfall varies from 375-450 mm in Baseri block to 650-750 mm in Rajakhera block.

Socio-economic profile and livelihoods: The total population of the district is 11.83 lakhs with 80% population residing in rural areas and comprising mostly of the Scheduled Caste and the Other Backward Castes (SCs and OBCs).  Average land-holding in the district is 1.57 hectares; however, land distribution pattern is quite skewed with 25% of large farmers owning 63% of total land and 53% of households owning 16% of land.  Agriculture is mostly for subsistence and livestock rearing – buffaloes (in plains) and goats (in daangs) are the major livelihoods of the rural people. Wage earning mostly from stone quarries is the primary source of income of the poor households comprising of nearly 60% of total family income. On an average 1-2 persons per family work in stone quarries. Incidence of Tuberculosis and silicosis is quite high and most such people are not able to continue work in quarries beyond 35-40 years. Average family size is 7.

Apart from having very limited options of jobs and livelihoods within the district, the stone crushing, and cutting units are having irreversible socio-environmental impact in the local sorroundings. 

Stone dust and manual work by the miners lead to respiratory diseases such as silicosis and tuberculosis drastically impacting the life expectancy of the labor. Most of these workers are rendered jobless once they are in the range of 35-40 years of age because of hard work involved.

In addition to this, the stone dust is left untreated and unattended by the factories on large patches of fertile and forest land rendering all such parcels of land useless. 

A cluster of 45 villages is highly impacted because of stone mines. There are few villages having over 60 percent of its women as widows. A population of about 50,000 is directly affected and is forced to live under impoverished conditions. 

Despite having all the issues mentioned above, the district has been blessed with ample natural places, dotted with natural water bodies and wet lands spread across the length and breadth of it. Migratory birds from as far as Siberia have their natural habitats. 

Dholpur is also known for the only crocodile sanctuary in the country dedicated for preservation, conservation, protection and for increasing the population of alligators, crocodiles, Gangetic dolphins, tortoise in the Chambal river.

The district has well known historical and heritage sites ( not well maintained though) like Taalab-e-Shahi ( lake and fort), Muchhkund ( fort, lake and ancient structures, Shergarh Fort along the river bank, Old Bawli ( century old step well) and Jubli Hall ( converted into public library-dilapidated conditions). 

The overall solution is stated in two parts

1. To set up an all women enterprise for running the endeavor as a financially sustainable, environmental friendly, economically viable and socially acceptable venture to be owned, governed, managed, operated and run by the women themselves in a long run

2. To set up another women enterprise for making housing material like bricks and slabs by replacing a part of traditionally used material like sand and cement by a mix of stone dust ( thrown and dumped by stone industry)

The objective of the solution will be 

A. Ecological stewardship Development: To build the local youth, women and communities as ecological stewards through the technology ( use of GIS equipments, how to conduct survey for local ecology, forest area, vegetation, water table , ecological inventory and conservation of local resources )

B. Build an eco-system for promoting sustainable Eco-tourism having components like Chambal safari, ravines exploration, rural stays, conservation and exhibition of local art, music, and culture, traditional & organic and natural foods, handicrafts, artisanal products, 

C. To create jobs and alternate employment opportunities for women and rural youth by placing them into services like hospitality, house keeping, chef and her helpers, management, operations, accounting and allied services like driving, guide

D. To improve the economic conditions of the 3000 families in three years through income generation activities to be done under the development of eco-tourism in and around their places,

E. To build a women enterprise on finding right kind of solution for making eco-friendly and afforadable bricks and slabs using stone dust of stone industry

Brief execution plan and  Methodology to address identified Problem:

Following processes and methodology to be adopted to address the issues: 

1. The women institutions ( self help groups ) in the selected villages will be strengthened further to improve their financial capabilities, 

2. Through these groups, the women farmers will be trained on improved package of practices for mustard and Bajra cultivation which will be procured , processed and to be used under this initiative for making natural products and food items in the dedicated kitchens, 

3. Youth, women and other community members to be identified and trained as ecological stewards who will be motivated further to use technology for 

              a. Use of GIS for mapping the cluster of forest which is acting as big bio-reserve and carbon absorption area

             b. How to use all these tools for eco-survey, to prepare ecological inventory for natural vegetation, wild life, water bodies etc

            c. trained as experts on natural resource management specially focusing on rain water harvesting and how to reduce their dependence on forest reserves in terms of fodder and fuel

4. Youth and women to be identified from the target villages who will be trained on hospitality, house keeping, kitchen management, tour guides and other related activities. These youth and women will be assigned and employed as per their skills in the enterprise, 

5. A separate and dedicated women enterprise will be registered to run, manage, operate this eco-tourism based business entity. The women leadership of this enterprise will also be trained on business plan, budgeting, financial management, governance and on the concepts of sustainable eco-tourism, 

6.  A cluster of ten villages will be identified which will be developed ecological stewards and eco-tourist friendly villages. 

7. A dedicated team of professionals along with local community members will be running tests to find a better, affordable and marketable solution of making bricks out of stone dusts to be used in eco-friendly housing in rural, peri-urban and other places,

Target population: 

The total population of the district is 11.83 lakhs with 80% population residing in rural areas and comprising mostly of the Scheduled Caste and the Other Backward Castes (SCs and OBCs).  Average land-holding in the district is 1.57 hectares; however, land distribution pattern is quite skewed with 25% of large farmers owning 63% of total land and 53% of households owning 16% of land.  Agriculture is mostly for subsistence and livestock rearing – buffaloes (in plains) and goats (in daangs) are the major livelihoods of the rural people. Wage earning mostly from stone quarries is the primary source of income of the poor households comprising of nearly 60% of total family income. On an average 1-2 persons per family work in stone quarries. Incidence of Tuberculosis and silicosis is quite high and most such people are not able to continue work in quarries beyond 35-40 years. Average family size is 7.

Apart from having very limited options of jobs and livelihoods within the district, the stone crushing, and cutting units are having irreversible socio-environmental impact in the local sorroundings. 

Most of these villages and their communities are in hinterland of the district largely not having access to basic amenities such as school , health services, clean and safe drinking water. 

How our solution serve them:

a. Strengthening of women collectives will help the community access financial services to be used for investing into their livelihoods, and other related avenues,

b. Enhanced knowledge and skills related to ecology conservation, forest protection, rain water harvesting and technology will help the local communities make informed decisions regarding their livelihoods, income generation activities, and climatically resilient agricultural practices ,

c. Having their own enterprises on eco-tourism employing the local youth, women and other community members will help them earn sustained monthly income in a more dignified manner,

d. Enhanced income for the women will help them invest back into making better housing, better schooling for their children,

e. It is further envisaged that the solution of stone dust will unleash job creation in large number for women and youth,

f. Conservation of carbon absorption cluster will have long term impact ( to be measured by technical assistance from MIT labs)

g. Lesser incidences of silicosis and tuberculosis once alternate livelihoods created and the labor gets detached willingly from the stone quarries,

The founder director of the organization has been working with these communities since the beginning of his career i.e. over twenty years. The organisation is headquartered in the same district where the solution is proposed. The professional team engaged with the community has also been working for last twenty years on the issues of financial inclusion and promotion of women institutions. 

Geographical region: Chambal river basin, ten villages along with banks of river and close to forest areas 

Dholpur has been selected for the implementation of this idea for following reasons:

A.    The strong presence of the women institution for last 12 years in the region having worked for empowering the rural women in partnership with the state government, rural development department, professional civil societies and other philanthropic partners ,

B. Already working with the same communities on financial inclusion, women empowerment related interventions and water harvesting & natural resource management

We are applying to Solve because :

a. We would like to access knowledge and technology related to ecological management, ecological stewardship to build the capabilities of local community,

b. We would like to access network and partners who share the same mission and vision i.e. finding alternate and sustainable livelihoods options for community living in more fragile eco-systems,

c. Access to technology for finding innovative solution on affordable housing material preparation

Three ways our solution is innovative,

a. Dedicated women enterprise to own, run, manage, operate the whole eco-tourism aspect of interventions and creating jobs for local youth, women and other community members,

b. Making eco-friendly , more affordable housing material for manufacturing bricks and slabs out of stone dust which has not been done yet in the area we are working, 

c. Local youth, women and community members trained on technology ( GIS and other related tech solutions) to act as ecological stewards for environment protection, preservation and conservation,

Quantitative Impact/Targets (measurable indicators)

·      Overall 3000 women to be the beneficiaries in next three years ( including both direct and indirect beneciaries, 1ST Yr: 1000, 2nd Yr: 2000, 3RD Yr: 3000)

·      50 youth and women to get direct employment in first year, 75- second year and 100-third year,

·      One women enterprise to be established,

·      Ten villages to be covered,

·     Income enhanced by Rs 75000 annually ( for the youth and women getting employed directly )

.     Stone dust successfully converted into commercial use for making bricks and slabs , and market developed for the same,

Qualitative Impacts (Medium Term ( MT) & Long Terms Impacts LT)  

·      A women enterprise on eco-tourism sustained, ( MT)

·      Women getting recognition within the family and in the community for their economic contribution to their families, ( LT)

·      Enhanced income leading to investment into the education of their children specially girls, ( LT)

·      Food security of the families enhanced, ( MT)

·      Local youth and communities more sensitized towards their eco-systems and environment, ( MT)

·      Mobility and confidence of the rural women enhanced, ( LT)

·      The collective bargaining power of women enhanced , ( LT)

·      The assets increased at the household will lead to improved creditworthiness of the women,

• Appreciation of traditional foods like bajra and other coarse grains improved ( LT)

Indicators to measure impact goals:

1. Outreach: No of women participating in the program and youth being employed 

Means of verification: From the community registered of women and youth on roll and triangulated from the software maintained by the organisation 

2. Income enhanced: from the payroll of the enterprise and individual farmer diary

Means of verification: From the accounts of enterprise and triangulated from the software maintained by the organisation 

3. Stone dust converted into bricks and building material: from the inventory and material flow tracking within the enterprise and also how much sold in the market

Means of verification: book of accounts of enterprise 

Qualitative Impacts (Medium Term ( MT) & Long Terms Impacts LT): to be measured through discussions in focussed group and quasi-qualitative analysis  

·      A women enterprise on eco-tourism sustained, ( MT)

·      Women getting recognition within the family and in the community for their economic contribution to their families, ( LT)

·      Enhanced income leading to investment into the education of their children specially girls, ( LT)

·      Food security of the families enhanced, ( MT)

·      Local youth and communities more sensitized towards their eco-systems and environment, ( MT)

·      Mobility and confidence of the rural women enhanced, ( LT)

·      The collective bargaining power of women enhanced , ( LT)

·      The assets increased at the household will lead to improved creditworthiness of the women,

• Appreciation of traditional foods like bajra and other coarse grains improved ( LT)

Following theory of change framework we are using in our interventions

1. Activities: 

a. Women collectives are furthered strengthened on financial management, natural resource management, ecological preservation and sterwardship,

b. skills and knowledge of rural women and youth are enhanced further on ecology, usage of technology like GIS for survey, ecological inventory preparation , bio-diversity and aspects of eco-tourism like hospitality, services, guiding, business development and management, planning and implementation , budgeting etc,

c. Various research done on different combinations of sand, cement, stone dust and other building material to find right kind of building material,

d. two separate women enterprises are registered to take care of business of eco-tourism and stone dust material material,

2. Output: 

a. Two seperate women enterprises established,

b. 3000 women and community members getting direct and indirect benefits out of the project, at least 200 women and youth getting direct jobs

c. Income enhanced for participating women and youth in the enterprises ,

d. About 500 men from the as many families stop working in stone mines and meaningfully engaged in alternate livelihoods options created through the enterprises,

e. Stone dust and slurry from at least five factories completely transformed into affordable building material 

3. Outcome:

a. Two sustainable business entities run by the communities,

b. Enhanced income leading to reduced poverty levels, more food security, more investment into the education of children,

c. More families having access to better housing because of more affordable housing material ,

d. Carbon absorption capacity of the identified cluster improved further because of more conservation and protection measures taken by the community 

Following technology part will be used :

a. GIS based tech solution and drones for mapping the natural resources, bio-diversity, Ecological inventory preparation ,

b. website , app based solution for branding, communication, marketing of eco-tourism options for the city dwellers,

c. Material science and related tech will be used for coming out right kind of solution of stone dust based building material 

Plans to Ensure Community participation, Vulnerable Groups & Gender Mainstreaming

Saheli Samiti -a women federation itself is an organization owned, governed and managed by the rural women for last over 12 years in the district. It is a federation of over 8000 rural women of Dholpur whose president gets elected from among its members every two years.

This project will be owned, managed and run by the local women and youth from their families will be trained and employed to run the enterprise. 

The 3000 beneficiaries envisaged to be covered under this project will be rural women and their families only. 

The most of the members of this women institution are from Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe or Other Backward Classes communities, apart from a minority of women from general castes having almost similar kind of economic status. 

The youth from the most vulnerable section of these villages will further be motivated to participate and get employed in the enterprise.

Families from Ghumuntu tribes-nomadic ( Banjara/Luhar/snake charmer/Jaadugar etc) will also be  promoted to get dignified and regular employment opportunities at the eco-tourism sites.