Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
improving the welfare of the household in general and children in particular,
while additional resources gained by men are less reliably transferred (FAO
1996; Haddad
et al
. 1997).
●
A clear understanding of why this alternative has not been adopted previ-
ously—what are the
barriers to adoption
, and are they surmountable? And
once surmounted, is the activity likely to be self-sustaining? Surmountable
barriers may include poor transport links to markets, lack of access to start-up
capital or lack of training and expertise.
Box 6.7
Small grants for alternative livelihood activities.
Fauna and Flora International has pioneered a small grants programme (SGP)
approach to promoting sustainable alternatives to natural resource use. The most
established example of this is in Kyrgyzstan, where the programme has been
running since 2000. The sequence of steps in implementing the programme is:
●
Identify a local NGO to work with. This is an important part of local capacity-
building, ensuring the project has a legacy in terms of an empowered NGO
sector, and that there is local ownership and oversight. The NGO will
probably need training in administering a small grants programme before
the project starts.
●
The local NGO and external partner hold a series of meetings in the target
community, explaining the rationale behind the SGP, the criteria on which grant
applications are judged, and discussing preliminary ideas about what kinds of
enterprise might work. This ensures transparency about the aims of the SGP.
●
Individuals within the community are asked to submit proposals to the local
NGO for small grants (generally substantially less than $1000 each) for
starting up or developing an enterprise. For example, the kinds of project
proposals submitted might include setting up a mechanic's workshop, a
honey-making enterprise (Figure 6.10), or a rug-making cooperative. This
process ensures that the proposals are locally generated by individuals, rather
than being externally imposed.
●
The proposals are judged against transparent criteria by the NGO, an inde-
pendent in-country steering committee and the external partner. These may
include value for money, feasibility and contribution to environmental
sustainability. Those proposals which look promising are taken forward, and
the applicants work with the NGO to prepare proper budgets and a business
plan. This gives applicants training in business management skills which
help to empower them beyond the initial SGP.
●
Proposals that are funded are then implemented, with the NGO supporting
the recipients to make a success of their enterprise. The whole process is
geared towards capacity-building rather than being a hand-out of money
that is likely to be spent without taking the community any further forward.
