Critical Understanding of the Livelihood Interventions by Bihar Rural Livelihood Project

Ankita Sirohi(33066) Kanav bhalla(33077) Surabhi Gupta(33114) Sushant Bhatia(33115)

The Society
Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS) registered in 2005 & project JEEVIKA started in October 2007. BRLPS has been designed to address rural poverty in Bihar in joint collaboration of the poor, Govt of Bihar and the World Bank. BRLPS through the Livelihoods Project (BRLP) aims to improve rural livelihood options and work towards social and economic empowerment of the rural poor.

Target Beneficiaries
Outreach : 7.5 Lakh Rural Poor Households in 55 Blocks of 9 districts Project Initiated for Rural poor in six districts of Bihar Nalanda, Gaya, Khagaria, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani and Purnia. Within these districts,the first phase of project envisaged working with 5,00,000 families across 4,000 villages in 42 blocks. Identification of poor women, especially the most vulnerable women headed households, widows, destitute, sex workers, aged, orphan and Mobilizing them into SHGs and federations.

External Environment
Political-As the Project is Govt. of Bihars pet project ,there have been least interference from external politics on the project. World Bank. Social-As the project helped a lot of women by way of forming SHGs, the managers had a lot of issues convincing the households(due to male domination).

Role of BRLPS
Mobilization and capacity building.

Facilitation links to commercial banks.

Fostering partnership with public, private and NGO sectors. Creating a favourable climate for the poor.

Promotion of innovation in rural livelihoods.

JEEViKA : Objectives and achievements

Social & Economic Empowerment of the Rural Poor through : Self Managed SHGs
Creating self managed community institutions of poorest of the poor and poor households.
established, covering at least 80% of the target household At least 50% of those who have received CIF have increased income by at least 30% of the baseline At least 50% of SHG members have reduced high cost debts from informal sources
Community cadre

Enhancing income through sustainable livelihoods.

Increasing access to social protection including food security through a greater voice.

JEEVIKAs Support Structure

Dedicated Society
General Body and Executive Committee

State Project Management Unit

PD cum CEO supported by thematic experts & support staffs

District Project Coordination Unit

District Project Manager supported with specialists

Block Project Implementation Units

a Team consisting of Block Project Manager, Area Coordinators, and Community Coordinators

Cadre of Community Resource Persons,

Book Keepers and Community Mobilisers

JEEVIKA-- Sustainable CBOs

Formation of CBOs and their quality nurturing Mobilisation starts from the poorest hamlets Focus on vulnerable sections like SCs, STs, minorities, differently able, landless, migrants, isolated HHs etc Formation of quality SHGs based on affinity & neighbourhood Standardized COM, Training modules etc for intensive capacity building of the SHGs and their federations Development of livelihood groups (Producer Groups) and their federations (Producer Cooperatives/Companies) Creating the federations as centre point of all entitlements Block Level Federation to act as sustainable community managed agency in a span of 5-7 years

JEEVIKA: Sustainable CBOs

CBOs to be self managed, supported by community cadres i. Taking support of Community Resource Persons (CRP):
o o o Selected & trained best practising members mobilise in new areas CRPs as agents of change & no dependence on outside factor Development of Master Trainer CRPs for training by the community

ii. Knowledge Rooting at Community Level:

Social assets - cadre of Community Mobilizers and Book Keepers Community managed extension system in agriculture VRPs The federations monitor & release payment to community cadres Sub committees function to plan, execute and monitor activities

Social assets
A vibrant community institution of women was built Poor household are encouraged & facilitated to create a self managed community institution called SHGs to promote community participation & ownership implementation. Development of livelihood groups(producer groups) & their federations(producer cooperatives & companies) to promote collective marketing, marketing partnerships, skill development & food security. BPL cards, PDS cards, job cards & social pensions were made available to the needy Women started participating in panchyat hearings & visiting health camps

Human assets
Got regular food grains at right price & quality from VO run PDS so people became food secured throughout the year Expenditure on health was substantially reduced through health saving, sanitary education, loans from health risk funds, women out reach workers and mobile & community clinics. Signature literacy increased by 33% & 5% women can read. Provided jobs to the youths by training them & enabling them to develop new skills. Training & exposure of project staff & community professionals. Village resource person is a local farmer identified by local farmer. Opportunities for primary & secondary education.

Financial assets
About 50% of SHG members have reduced high cost debts from informal source & had access to cumulative credit. Their income increased by 30% of base line through sustainable livelihoods & creation of assets. They invested a major part of their credit & secured assets in the basket of such income generating, economically viable & improved sustainable livelihood. Jeevika provided easy credit, social risk fund, promoted better saving habit, gave insurance & remittances,& help desk at banks through self managed institutions. SHGs & primary level community orgnisation became business entities & valued clients of the banking system

Natural assets
Promoted enhanced productivity of rice & wheat Ownership of bullocks & cows increased Besides supporting agriculture & dairy, other occupations like(farm & non farm based livelihood) rearing of small ruminants, bee keeping, fisheries, poultry, madhubani paintings, textiles, etc. were also promoted through technical assistance, service provision & setting up market support mechanism Dairy intervention by studying dairy cooperative federation working in selected states

VULNERABILITY AND SHOCKS

Strategies for Enhancing Food Security i. Productivity enhancement in cereal crops ii. Community managed Food Security Mechanism (FSF) iii. Enhancing access and management of PDS by the CBOs Strategies to enhance Health Security i. Dedicated financial product for Health (HRF and its saving) ii. Service at doorstep by Women Outreach Workers iii. Access to the public health facilities (Community Clinics) Strategies to enhance Entitlements i. VOs facilitated to access Social Security Schemes ii. Implementation of MGNREGA through community institutions

JEEVIKA : Framework
Livelihoods Enhancement
Financial Inclusion Savings, Credit Insurance Remittances Help Desks at Banks Banking Correspondents Productivity Enhancement Agriculture (SRI, SWI, PVSP) Dairy & Small Ruminants Bee Keeping Fisheries , Makhana Non-farm incl. Art & Crafts Market Access Collective Marketing Producer Companies Market Partnerships Jobs and Skill Development

Institutional Platforms of the Poor (SHGs & Federations)

Vulnerability Reduction
Access to Entitlements
BPL Cards PDS Cards Job Cards Social Pensions

Food Security
Land Leasing Productivity Enhancement Food Rations from PDS Collective Purchase of Food

Health Security
Health Savings Loans from Health Risk Fund Women Outreach Workers Mobile Clinics

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