Transcript Linking grassroots work for inclusive policy

Linking grassroots work to adopt
inclusive policy:
Experience of India Agriculture Scale
Up Program in Bundelkhand region
Neelkanth Mishra
Status of Inland fishery in India
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India is ranked second after China for inland fishery
sector
Fishery contributes significantly to the agriculture (5.4%
GDP) and marginally to the national economy (1.04%
GDP).
The GDP contribution from fisheries sector has reached
Rs.29, 707 crore (GBP 372 Bl.) in 2004-05 from Rs.245
crore(GBP 3 Bl.) in the year 1970-71.
Indian share in global production has reached 4.36% per
cent with 9.92% in inland and 2.8% in marine.
The fisheries sector has been providing employment to
over 2 Million fishermen through fishing operations.
Inland Fishery Program in Madhya Pradesh
Objective
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Secure fishing communities access
and control over the fish ponds
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Support women in gaining recognition
as producers and owning/ managing
business enterprises
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Influence the State Government to
enact policies in favour of women and
men fisher folks
Program outreach:
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15000 fisherfolk Household
Major achievement
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New State fishery policy in Madhya
Pradesh
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Issue:
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Lack of security over
productive assets, long term
lease et al.
Double lease system,
Lease to any one who can do
fishing
Unavailability of institutional
input support( credit, seed, net
etc.)
Women are not considered as
equal stakeholder
Lack of priority by government
for inland fishing
Inability to participate in
markets,
Change in Relation
required with:
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Contractors- who were
controlling the ponds in actual
practice.
Members of the communitywho were giving the access to
outsiders.
State -which through its
policies and practice is non
supportive
Process Adopted:
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Mobilise Community into a collective force,
Analysis of emerging issue for advocacy
Institution building (Apex body)
Address gender concern
Local leadership development
Interface with community, fishery dept. and policy makers
Influence local political process as vote bank
Community Mobilization in Maria Vill.
Formation of Apex Body
District level Campaign
Charter of demand to district official
State workshop and linkages
Policy announcement
1998
1999
2000
2002
2007
2008
Features of Inclusive fishery policy:
•Process led by community, participation and actions from the
government officers and the political leaders.
•Most progressive policy compare to any other state in India
•Long term lease over pond to fishing community.
•Single lease for fish culture and other water crops
•The reasonable lease amounts and non-increase in the lease
rate for the total lease period, and other concessions on lease
including exemption and assistance during loss in calamities
•Ensuring 33% women membership in all new cooperatives
•Fisherfolk credit cards will be introduced.
• Conservation and stock enhancement measures for riverine
fisheries
Learning’s:
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Program and policy advocacy needs to be
complementary of each other
Address core issue( e.g. in this program: control and
access over resources)
Strengthening institutional governance system is vital,
The process needs to be integrated, comprehensive,
decided and controlled by community themselves.
Deliberate effort to be made to ensure womens
participation and address gender concern
Most crucially, Oxfam’s role as a facilitator, essential to
build community confidence, develop sustainable models
and ensure that project impacts are lasting.
Community seek continuous and long term engagement
Challenges:
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Proper implementation of policy enacted
Community leadership that can become
autocratic, centralized and anti-people.
Corruption financial, moral and political.
Gender mainstreaming as tokenistic
approach.
Process of separation between right based
work and market intervention
Dependence on NGO and funding agency.
Further scaling up, through:
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Facilitate proper implementation of New Fishery
policy in State
Extension and awareness through Bundelkhand
Fisherfolk forum
Address unresolved issue related to fisherfolks
welfare and market support
Institution building (Producer org., Womens
collective)
Influencing other state governments (Bihar,
Chatisgarh, UP, Orissa)
Promoting women’s economic leadership