Risk Reduction and Livelihood Promotion of the Marine Traditional Fishing community in Orissa coast through Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)

The primary objective of the project is to demonstrate sustainable improvement in quality of life and a tangible reduction in vulnerability of fishing families through interventions that enhance incomes and improve habitat conditions. Primary objectives are: • Popularizing the ICT among the community • Create demand for kiosk and PFZ board in the operational villages Important objectives are: • Risk reduction and livelihood promotion through ICT • To link fishing families in the target area with the information on PFZ and guide them to identify the area in the sea through global Positioning System (GPS);To build capacities to analysis the information on PFZ and handle the GPS in a financially sustainable manner. • To build capacities of local institutions to develop the early warning system during the time disaster. Setting up community hub with internet connection in the village • Training the village youth groups on technical, management and maintenance aspects of the ICT • Develop the system and procedure for the operation of community hub; • Training of community groups in target villages on handling the GPS and identifying the PFZ • Analysis of the cost effectiveness and accuracy of the system and procedure. • The community monitoring process will be a crucial and continuous part of this Phase. The last phase of the project consist of two months, where in the following activities will be implemented: • Though phasing out strategies will be built in from the beginning, in this Phase there will be a concerted effort at empowering the village level groups to manage the processes evolved through the project by themselves with a view to project sustainability after completion of the project period. • A detailed completion report on project outcomes, successes and learning’s will be prepared and make suggestions for possible inputs/strategies for the future. The Department of Fisheries with support from the UNDP is proposing to set up 10 information Kiosks for fisher folk in 10 different villages along the coast of Orissa. The kiosks will be computerized information centres with an electronic display board on Potential fishing Zones (PFZ) information received from INCOIS Hyderabad. UNDP through the state authorities will be taking care of the installation and maintenance of the systems. INCIOS will be providing the information on the PFZ and sea conditions INCOIS will also link up with the Department of Meteorology on the weather conditions and informing the kiosks accordingly. The program impacts is envisaged by taking two dimensions: firstly, the project will improve upon livelihood conditions of fishing communities through the appropriate technology based information and secondly build the capacities of the village institutions reduce the risks and links with outside institutions and service delivery enterprises for value addition of their product. By the end of the year, following impacts could be visible. • Demand generated for ICT and PFZ board among the fishing communities; • Early warning system reduces the loss of lives and resources in the target area. • Capacity building and skill up gradation of youth group will lead to empowerment of this vulnerable section of the society. The project now requires a body, preferably an NGO to take care of the grounding of the program and to ensure that the community involved the process of the implementation of the project. In this background Action for Food Production (AFPRO), a national level NGO with considerable experience in facilitating people centered Natural Resource Management and livelihood programs including fisheries, with the association of Udyama proposes to take up the responsibility of as a management partner(s) in implementation of the program for one year.