Livelihood and Microenterprise Development Opportunities For Women in Coastal Fishing Communities in India: Case Studies of Orissa and Maharashtra
This report on the livelihood and micro-enterprise development opportunities for women in coastal fishing communities in India aims to guide future initiatives to improve the livelihoods of women in these communities. The report is based on of studies carried out by partner institutions in the Indian States of Orissa and Maharashtra. It also draws on the recommendations and observations of two state-level workshops that discussed the findings of the studies. The report makes the following statements:
- Poverty is a serious problem in the fishing communities in Orissa and Mahrashtra;
- With the increase in the cost of fishing, many fisher-women have diversified into part-time work as unskilled laborers;
- In recent years, non-governmental and governmental organizations have helped fisherwomen form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and cooperatives that train members in the fields of fish-processing and marketing;
- However, only a few of them have been linked to financial institutions and there is a severe lack of fish storage and processing infrastructure.
The findings of the studies suggest that:
- The working capital and investment needs of the coastal fishing communities can be met by actively promoting SHGs and cooperatives and linking them with financial institutions;
- SHGs need vocational and enterprise development training, as well as assistance in establishing links to new market outlets for their products.
The report concludes by listing specific recommendations that state-level workshops in India made about the assistance needed in terms of micro-enterprise development and training support to reduce poverty in coastal fishing communities.
