The Hindu Business Line : Model coconut project proves a hit in Vayalar

THE success story of the community-managed model coconut project in the Vayalar panchayat of Alappuzha district could encourage others to take up such ventures in the State.

The model project aimed at increasing the income of poor coconut farmers and their family members was started in July 2002 and is expected to be competed by December this year.

It is implemented by the Kochi-based NGO, Peekay Trees Corps Development Foundation , and sponsored by the International Coconut Genetic Resources Network , Malaysia with funding support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

During the three-year period of the project, it would test and demonstrate the potential of coconut-based farming systems, product utilisation at the farm-household and community levels and coconut varietal diversity for creating multiple sources of food, income and employment in the coconut sector, according to Coconut Development Board officials here.

Under the project, a community-based organisation, Vayalar Community Development Centre (VCDC) was set up. It has already 650 families as members as against the target of 1,000 families.

The membership is open only to those families having an annual income below Rs 27,000, they said.

Potential beneficiaries based on household income were identified from each of the target groups for extending techno-economic support to accomplish the targeted objectives.

Training support as well as micro credit was made available to the potential beneficiaries to equip them with the required skill and funds for undertaking income generating enterprises.

The target groups covered are the coconut farmers and socio-economically disadvantaged women engaged in coconut-based farming systems, household level coir spinning and coconut-based food and non-food processing.

Training was imparted to 103 women and 16 men in the production of coconut-based foods and beverages, soaps and detergents and coconut based handicrafts.

While 165 men and 53 women were trained in coconut- based farming systems and to over 20 farmers in copra-making in indirect dryers.

The VCDC has already organised two women's groups for producing and marketing value-added products from coconut kernel and water, two registered farmers' societies for copra processing, one training-cum- production unit for handicrafts, community nurseries for multiplying special coconut cultivars/ecotypes and one sales outlet for the diverse products including tender coconuts.

According to Prof N.P. George, an expert, "the novelty of the project is that except for training no other component is free and the beneficiaries have to pay for all other services, which are linked to a micro-credit scheme".

The potential beneficiaries who are poor and not the accepted clientele of the existing institutional agencies could avail micro credit for generating higher income by starting new enterprises or by strengthening the on-going ones which are languishing for want of funds.

The significant factor is that there is no guarantor or collateral for availing the loan, which is usually disbursed in the presence of other members of the VCDC.

The office-bearer of the Centre, who has certified the genuineness of the applicant ensure that borrower repays the money. Under this scheme, already 52 individual farmers and 25 groups having a membership of around 150 men and women have been granted credit for farming purposes.

In the household coir spinning sector 150 units were sanctioned credit at the rate of Rs 1,500 per unit. As each hand-operated spinning wheel engages three women, the benefit of the credit scheme would cover 450 women besides 150 men who would be associated with the purchase of coir fibre and marketing of coir yarn.

The VCDC has already established five indirect copra dryers at a total cost of Rs 1.45 lakh for production of quality copra through two registered cooperative societies formed by the coconut farmers and advanced credit towards working capital.

The total micro-credit disbursed over the last one year in the different sectors amounts to Rs 3.25 lakh, Prof George, who has done a study on the project said.

According to PTCDF sources, apart from continuing the micro credit scheme, the project plans to establish one small-scale coconut processing complex with the integration of one expeller unit and one unit each for husk processing, coconut water based vinegar production, shell carbornising and also a food processing based on coconut kernel and water.

Establishment of an environment friendly fibre extraction unit besides popularisation of improved spinning units would form part of the major activities.

In fact, "the activities initiated by the Vayalar Panchayat are worthy of replication on a wider scale", Prof George added.

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