INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREA CO-MANAGEMENT (IPAC) - BIDS

Form Collectors’ Organization
In order to safeguarding the rights of the collectors and capacity of the collectors to negotiate
selling prices, it is important to form collectors’ organizations, similar to that of the higher level
intermediaries such as Aratdars.
SRF Actors Groups/Cooperatives/Associations
One way of reducing vulnerability of the lower layer actors of value chains is to organize Groups
or Cooperatives. This would help create storage, post-harvest processing, refrigeration facilities,
and encourage shared transportation on a collective basis. Not only these cooperatives will
prove beneficial in income generation, but also will contribute to their confidence building,
empowerment, awareness and overall sustainable harvest management of the SRF and in coping
with natural disasters.
Improving the Socio-economic Conditions of Bottom Layer Actors
Improving the socio-economic conditions of these vast bottom-layer actors should be a major
policy concern. A range of options may be available to improving the socio-economic conditions
of bottom layer.
Food subsistence to the poor collectors
Rationing system for foods for collectors will be beneficial. Designing VGD, VGF or Food for
Employment during lean seasons may be good initiatives to benefit the marginal collectors.
Obviously, this will also facilitate sustainable resource management of SRF.
Work Opportunities and IGAs
The per capita collection quantity from the SRF has tremendously declined over the last few
years following increased number of actors and extinction of some species. Efforts should be
made to enable collectors to switch over to other economic activities. Less investment oriented
activities may include closed fisheries, handicrafts, closed crab culture, crab fattening, fish feed
production, hogla and mat making, bee-keeping, coir industry, tree plantation, horticulture,
tailoring, knitting, livestock, small and medium industries (SMEs) and social forestry for the
bottom layer actors. Developing a welfare fund for the collectors of various products would be a
step forward.
In this context, mention may be made of this year’s (20109-10) harvest of honey which has
fallen by 16 percent as per the BLCs issued this year compared to last year 18 . One of the
reasons is that the Mawalis have chosen to be employed in repair works of Sidr and Aila affected
embankments, which has just started in this honey seasons. This gives a clear message that
Mawalis or Bawalis would not exert pressure on the SRF, providing they get alternative
opportunities for employment and income.
Fishing by trawling ship
The process, through which the trawling ships undertake catching fishes, needs serious
consideration in the light of conservation and reproduction. The exploitation of jatka fish and use
of ‘current’ nets in fishing have no option asserted by fisher collectors themselves as they have
little income support during lean periods.
Leasing Canals/Khals
Some khals or canals are leased out to big companies who use trawling ships. Some of them use
medicines and poisonous (chemical) substances to catch fishes which kill all the living beings in
18 This estimate is based on data supplied by DFO, West Division, as of today (15 September). Number of BLC
issued by FD (West) this year FY 2009-10 is 210, as compared to 250 in the previous year.
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