Deep Roots

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activities are difficult to expand due to land and labour

constraints. About 50 per cent of the participants belong to

this group and they were able to increase their income above

the poverty line. About 30 per cent of the participants have

not been able to increase their monthly income due to lack

of hard work and choosing difficult projects such as rearing

chickens, ducks or fish. The income of participants in this

group is still at the poverty line. In general MARDI has

helped 526 families in various economic project activities

and 325 (61.8 per cent) were able to increase their monthly

income above the poverty line.

The experience of implementing this project has given

MARDI officers some guidance in the implementation of

projects involving the poor and destitute. The enthusiasm

of the participants was one of the most important factors that

determined the success of the project. Selection of project

activities by participants was solely based on the partici-

pants’ capability to implement them and not based on the

economic potential of the business.

The performance of each project activity chosen by

the participants varies in terms of their potential and the

expected level of success. Project activities involving direct

business dealings such as selling food products in kiosks and

food stalls, farm cleaning services and fishing are easier to

implement and maintain. Project activities that are closely

related to the ordinary activities of the village community

such as crop production, food processing and selling of

beverages are equally successful. These projects are catego-

rized as ‘Quick Win’. They can be easily implemented and

continued because no technical skills are required (except

for food processing) and they only require minimum capital

with the provision of basic facilities.

Project activities that are difficult to succeed in and

sustain are those involved with the rearing of livestock

and fisheries, mushroom cultivation and fertigation. The

successes of these activities are difficult to predict due to

factors such as the requirement of technological knowl-

edge to manage them and combat disease attack. The high

cost of inputs such as seeds/breeds, fertilizers and feeds,

uncertain sale prices and the high cost of investment are

also factors that affect the success of the project. From this

experience, it was indicated that in a poverty eradication

programme, Quick Win project activities should be given

priority to ensure success.

A participant selling food products to local tourists

Image: MARDI

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