WB team visits ICZMP locations in Odisha

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar: The seventh support mission team of the World Bank made a technical visit to the sites to make an assessment of the status of the various project components and activities of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) in Odisha during the course of two days field visit in May 2014.The five-member team from World Bank and SICOM, the nodal agency of the Ministry of Environment and Forests for ICZMP made visits to the project locations on May 26 and 27.During their two day visit the mission team primarily interacted with the community members and assessed their involvement in the implementation of ICZM project components.They also evaluated the social mobilization and consultation process adopted by the Odisha ICZMP in planning and executing the alternative livelihood activities.The mission team visited Goplapur in Ganjam district and interacted with the fisher community members who are assisted under the alternative livelihood components through Fishery & ARD department.There are 35 SHGs in Gopalpur alone out of which 30 fisher SHGs are assisted to prepare hygienic dry fish through unique use of solar dryer machines, first time introduced in Odisha by ICZMP.The team interacted with the community members and impressed with their acceptance of technology and adoption of hygienic practice in their traditional fishery business.Under the assistance of ICZMP, the Fisheries department distributed 30 solar drier units to 30 women self-help groups and the machines are installed on site.The remaining SHGs have taken up cold chain marketing and rice business as their alternate livelihood options.Total of 426 families are estimated to benefit here from the intervention of ICZM project.The team also interacted with a group of young women members in Arjipalli village of Chhatrapur who impressed them with their stitching and sewing skills along with the indigenous marketing skills to sustain their group income.The fisher SHG was formed as part of alternative livelihood components by Fishery Department.