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 Village women running sweatshops,
Women Hawkers
Women homebased income generating programme
Thulopakhar Nana Angna Rha Naba Thethmai
Goat Cooperative Project
Goat Raising Cooperatives:
Background Information
16 girls from Sindhupalchowk who have completed the fourth training of Bikalpa Kola Namsa, Kathmandu have organized themselves with the money they got as incentives for 18 months of their training. They had received Nepali Rs.500.00 every months for 18 months which amounted the total of Rs.9000.00 each. The incentive amount was also aimed:
- To enable the girls to have seed money to be able to do something when they go back to their villages,
- To generate income for the girls which could support the cost for their further studies.
- To benefit their families and communities economically,
- To be a model to work collectively
The 16 girls along with the family members and villagers had explored various ways to use the money. They then decided that they would go for goat raising cooperatives. The total amount they have is Rs.9000 X 16=Rs.1,44,000.00. They could make this decision because they had session on Women Cooperatives during their 18 months training.
How it was started?
The first thing they did was formed the group of girls which includes all the 16 girls. The girls who are already 18 years of age then went to make their citizenship at their district headquarter. According to the law only a group of at least 7 Nepali citizen with the citizenship card can be eligible to register any organization and open account in bank.
The girls and the family members had organized themselves and the Goat Raising Cooperative was inaugurated on Sep 24th, 2005 in Thulo Pakhar v illage of Sindupalchowk. They have started with 64 goats. One pair of goats cost Rs.2500.00 therefore the total cost for the 64 goats was Rs.80,000.00. They have decided to keep the rest of the amountRs.64,000.00. for the unseen and unexpected situation which might include medicine for the goats, making sheds.
How are they doing?
To make it more inclusive they have also included Nepal Tamang Ghedung, Tamang people organization of Sindhupalchowk district as holder of two share. The girls have calculated that each girls will have the share of Rs.4,500.00 which enable them to have two shares each. They take turn to look after it. It was good that they got training on Cooperatives work during their 18 months training at Bikalpa Kola Namsa.
Cooperation and support from the villagers
The district committee of Nepal Tamang Ghedung has offered a shed in the open place near the jungle to keep the goats. But it needs renovation and the girls feel that it is a little isolated and they do not feel safe. At the moment they are using the shed of one Bikalpa girl which is in the middle of the village.
What is the name of the Goat Raising Cooperative?
They have named it as “Thulopakhar Nana Angna Rha Naba Thethmai” which is Tamang language means Thulopakhar Sisters Goat Raising Group.
The committee is as follows:
- Pema Dolma Lama, Chairperson,
- Dolma Pakhrin, Vice Chairperson
- Sunita Lama, Secretary (Nepal Tamang Women Ghedung)
- Palsang Ghising, Treasurer
- Meen Kumari Tamang , Member
- Maili Tamang, Member
- Kabita Tamang, Member
- Kusum Tamang, Member
- Lal Kumari Tamang, Member
- Buddha Maya Tamang, Member
- Sabina Tamang, Member
- Kumar Tamang, Member
- Pema Tamang, Member
- Kanch Tamang, Member
- Sunita Tamang , Member
- Roshani Tamang, Member
- Thulo Maili Tamang, Member
What they need now?
- They need goat shed at the moment. They have estimated that it might cost about Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 100,000. (Equivalent to Euro 750 too 1500). They do not need huge money about the grass since they have wonderful graze land for the goats at the moment.
- They need more training and information about goat raising,
- More technical assistance to formalize the cooperatives,
Additional information on Feasibily of Goat Raising in Nepal by women group:
Extracted from the study of Heiffer International
The `visible' classes of livestock, namely, buffaloes and cattle, are the most talked about components of the livestock sector in the middle hills. Little attention, however, is given to micro-livestock such as goats and poultry. They have been an important source of immediate cash income for every household in the hills. In the mid-hill/mountain areas, the number of households raising stall-fed goats is increasing. In the field survey areas, almost 80 per cent of the households were found to be raising two to six goats. Restrictions on open grazing has led to stall-feeding becoming a common practice. Fodder trees are lopped and fed to these animals.
While milk provides regular cash flow (on a daily basis), goats and chickens are `liquidate-in-need' assets. Poultry provides a quick source of cash income. Women take them to market towns where they sell them easily and return home with the required household items bought from the cash. Small ruminants, in comparison to large ruminants, e.g., buffaloes, are a less risky investment for resource-poor farmers since they require a smaller amount of capital.
Credit schemes for raising goats are operating very well in most parts of the middle hills of Nepal, mostly run by various NGOs. The default rate for small loans for micro-livestock (especially in the case of women's groups) is also very low, indicating its success.
Presently, there are no marketing problems for goats. Petty goat traders roam around villages looking for goats to buy. They then walk them to the markets for sale. On the other hand, rural areas in the hills and mountains do not raise poultry on a commercial scale. Rural households raise local poultry as scavenging birds, and their size is small. On average, a farm household raises four to ten chickens. The marketing of local chickens has not been a problem. Petty traders in poultry travel around villages, buy poultry, and carry them to market centres. The problem is that farmers are not getting as much return as they could had they organized their markets. Thus in order to make micro-livestock a remunerative enterprise, the focus should be on organized marketing in farmers' groups.
Thus, there is considerable scope for developing micro-livestock to help improve the income levels of resource-poor farmers. In inaccessible areas, priority should be given to goat raising as goats can walk to markets. Also, with urban consumers' increased levels of disposable income, demand for goat meat has been increasing steadily. Small-scale poultry production with 200-500 birds, that can be managed using family labour, can be promoted in areas that have access to roads and wider markets. However, food supplies and veterinary services must be assured. Such programmes can be developed and implemented to target resource-poor farm households in particular.
Strategies
- Allow wider inclusion of micro-livestock in policy agenda
- Encourage government and non-government organizations to introduce schemes that provide credit support for disadvantaged groups
- Enhance the productivity of goats
Potential Options/Approaches
- Promote micro-enterprises for women based on goat and poultry raising
Credit provision for such enterprises is necessary. Micro-enterprises can be encouraged through formation of savings' and credit groups for women.
- Provide training for women for small-scale poultry raising
Such programmes should equip women entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to manage health and feed requirements for poultry. They also have to be linked to the necessary support services such as veterinary support and easy provision of feed concentrate.
- Organize farmers in marketing their live animals and products
Formation of women's groups to market goats and poultry can be encouraged. These groups can be associated with savings' and credit associations for women and marginalised farmers.
- Establish a regular and reliable marketing network
Links between producers and markets should be better facilitated. A proper market information system is essential to guarantee regular sales. In addition, community savings' and credit systems should be strengthened to expand goat production at the household level and disadvantaged groups and marginalised farmers should be organized for the production and marketing of poultry and eggs
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