Background
The purpose of this project is to empower women and girl children in rural area and improve their livelihood through creating an income generating basis, encouraging more than 90 percents of women participation (i.e. minimum of 18 members need to be women and young girls out of 20 members) fostering social empowerment among women from deprived rural areas. As per the findings of Socio – Economic survey, 2012, the Lumang gewog under Trashigang and Trong, Nangkhor, Shingkhar, Phangkhar under Zhemgang was identified as the group which needed most interventions. The large segment of population in these Gewogs, which consist of mainly small and marginal farmers, primarily depends on agriculture and other related activities which sustain their livelihood. However due to unsuitable soil fertility in some areas and lack of mechanized farming practices aggregated by High transportation cost, lack of proper market, low volume, lack of technical skills, innovative ideas, and less knowledge on how to enhance the social enterprise, they are struggling to earn their livelihood. They exclusively depend on import food items for their daily supplement and less on their farm produce. For instance in Lumang, maize is their staple diet as large majority of farmers grow maize (97%), compare to other agriculture produce (Final report on Socio economic Survey, 2012).
During the Project introductory with the farmers, Tshogpas and other officials of identified Gewogs & Dzongkhags, people showed interest in forming Groups to take up income generating activity provided they receive proper orientation, training and guidance.
Bhutan Association Of Women Entrepreneurs (BAOWE) hopes to facilitate the empowerment of their economic activity which would result in income generation, employment opportunity and capacity building; in addition positively contributing to green environment and building up sense of strong community bond by working together at bigger picture. Therefore the Project was initiated as a pilot base where BAOWE planned to replicate in other Gewogs / Dzongkhags it succeeds to bring positive impact on the communities. This Project is best opportunity to utilize their resources and earn their livelihood as well.
Project Aims and Goals
Improving the quality of life in the community through fostering social empowerment among women and girls from deprived rural areas consequently creating economic opportunity.
Project objectives
- Facilitation of the access to credit and markets for value added activity originated from projects, individuals and Cooperatives that are aimed at benefiting the underprivileged people especially women and girls.
- Mobilizing Community through economic activity.
- Creation of employment opportunity for the women and girls to supplement to their family income/ living standard.
- Contribute towards import substitution of agriculture and dairy products.
- The farmer’s groups/ cooperatives should be able to run the unit by themselves after the project phases out.
Trashigang Dzongkhag:
Lumang Gewog : Livestock Feed Production – piggery, poultry, cattle feed.
Through survey BAOWE has found Lumang geog under Tashigang Dzongkahg as project beneficiary geog. Accordingly, BAOWE has initiated group formation and registered the group as Lumang Aumsu Gonor Tshag Gi Nyamley Tshogdey under Cooperative Act of Bhutan, 2009 in January 2013 with Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives under Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. The cooperative has 107 (20 males and 87 females) members covering six villages Duengmanma, Kheshing, Riserboo, Tshoegoenpa, Moshi and Kharphu. The group is engaged in making cattle feed and has a vision to be a competitive feed cooperative in eastern Dzongkhags
The proposed project is aiming at improving the quality of life in the community through fostering social empowerment among women and girls from deprived rural areas consequently creating economic opportunity (livelihood advancement activity- Making Feed for livestock)
Zhemgang Dzongkhag :
TRONG – 5 SHGs – Vegetable,cardamom,Dairy
Shingkhar – 2 SHGs – Poultry,Vegetable
Phangkhar – 5 SHGs – Mushroom,Dairy,Restaurant,Vegetable
Nangkhor – 6 SHGs – Beekeeping, Vegetable & Rice,Mushroom, Poultry.
Vegetable Group :
The vegetable groups were initially provided with quality seeds along with working shed, agriculture farming equipments and tools. To enhance the skills of the groups in the operational area, various scientific methods of vegetable cultivation, organic farming and best practices of vegetable cultivation training were provided with the support of National Organic programme and by Bhutan Alpine seed Centre. The group were also trained in basic Accounting and Book Keeping along with Leadership, group conflict and management. Group saving with other financial institute were initiated .Similarly for better networking and market linkage for the groups facilitated several times through workshop and seminar.
Cardamom Group:
Group leased out two acres of land for cardamom cultivation. Each group was provided with 2800 cardamom sapling by the project. Project also provided the group with a working shed, equipments and tools, cardamom drying and packaging materials.
Group members were trained in cardamom cultivation, management and post harvest.
For better functioning and management of the group, selected members from the group underwent leadership, conflict management and record keeping training at Rural Development training centre, Zhemgang.
Poultry Group:
There are three poultry group. Each group was provided with 160 pullets and poultry feed, pullet raring equipments and a poultry coops by the project. Group saving with the BDBL were also introduced. Group representive attended the record keeping training at RDTC. Similarly for better networking and market linkage for the groups facilitated several times through workshop and seminar.
Mushroom Group:
There are two mushroom groups consisting of 13 and 7 members in each group. Initially group has started with 6000 billets of shitake mushroom and 300 bags of oyster mushroom. They were trained in mushroom cultivation, management and harvesting with the support from Mushroom Training centre, Thimphu. Members were even trained in oyster mushroom seed making training. Basic Accounting and bookkeeping training were provided to the groups.
Dairy Group:
To enhance the Economic status and improvement of livelihood through production and marketing of Dairy products a common milk processing unit is established at Trong and Phangkhar Gewog. Presently there are 20 members in this cooperative. The members undertake to produce fresh milk at their respective households, and supply to the collection centre from where it is processed, value added and is marketed to respective buyers. The profit is divided equally amongst the cooperative group. Certain amounts from the proceeds sale go to the cooperative management fund. Monthly meetings are conducted at the milk collection centre.
Project Description
Project JFPR9155 : Advancing Economic Opportunities of Women and Girls (8th May, 2012- 2014)
Funded By : Japan Fund for Poverty Reductions through Asian Development Bank
Executing Agent : National Commission for Women and Children
Implemented by : BAOWE
Project Location : Trashigang and Zhemgang District.
| Dzongkhag | Identified Gewog | Beneficiaries |
| Trashigang | Lumang Gewog | 500 farmers’ households. (25 SHGs consisting of 20 HH members each) |
| Zhemgang |
|