Cochin Corporation-ISED Project on Local Enterprise Development

The DFID-aided Cochin Urban Poverty Reduction Project (CUPRP), envisaged an integrated approach to urban poverty, with focus on ‘Environment and Economic Development’. The purpose of the Economic Development component was to improve the economic condition of the urban poor, through an integrated program of Enterprise Development, along with other major components of the Project. The Programme was designed and piloted by ISED, jointly with the Urban Poverty Alleviation Department (UPAD), which was in its nascent stage. ‘Urban Micro Enterprise Development Program’ (UMEDP), a specialized ‘Enterprise Development Model’ was designed and developed by the Institute, and was formally launched at Mundamveli, Western Kochi. The purpose of the ISED Project was two-fold:  a) to design a scalable model of Entrepreneurship Development; and b) to enhance the capacity of the City Corporation officials to handle Economic Development projects. Following this Project, the Urban Poverty Alleviation Department began to initiate and implement its own programs for livelihoods promotion and enterprise development.

Cochin Social Enterprise Initiative

Following the collaboration between the City Corporation of Cochin and ISED, since 1995, the two agencies joined together on a new Program called ‘Cochin Local Economic Development Project’ in 2018. The Project envisaged two initiatives: ‘Cochin Enterprise Atlas’ was meant to create an enterprise monitoring system. Another initiative involved was the development of a ‘Social Enterprise Development Model’ for the City.

Craft Entrepreneurship Development Program

While craftsmen generally are not considered as entrepreneurs, the creative industry is an emerging sector having substantial potential and business opportunities in the global economy today. On lines of this potential, and considering the prospects of the Bamboo and Rattan sub-sector, ISED outlined a Program on Craft Development, which was appreciated by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. ISED jointly with the Ministry, fine-tuned the Program, and it was implemented at the field level at twenty one Centres of Kerala.

Enterprise Security-Local Evidences and Experience

The ISED Small Enterprise Observatory (ISED-SEO) and the India MSME Communication Program (IMCP) have, from time to time, examined the problem of vulnerability of micro, small and medium enterprises in the country. A formal debate on the subject was kick-started at the national level through the findings of the ‘India MSME Report 2013’, which tried to conceptualize the problem of ‘Enterprise security’ and advocated a national policy in this context. The Institute has been constantly working on the theoretical and operational aspects of the theme, and tries to develop an agenda around it. ISED, jointly with the News18 TV and the Kanjikode Industries Forum (KIF), Palakkad, organized a Workshop on the subject. This has brought out several of the practical and ground-level issues relating to ‘enterprise security’, against the multiple critical constraints of climate change, disruptive technologies, and socio-cultural and political factors specific to Kerala. The Minister for Industries and Commerce, Mr. E.P. Jayarajan, inaugurated the Workshop. It also witnessed the contributions and interventions of important stake holder representatives including Mr. K. Krishnan Kutty, Minister for Water Resoruces, Mr. Elamaram Karim, National President of the CITU, and representatives of various industry associations.

Entrepreneurship Atlas Project

The ‘Entrepreneurship Atlas’ Project is a geospatial exercise of locating and analysing entrepreneurship behaviour in a regional setting. This unique program of the ISED has been envisaged with the dual purpose of helping enterprise development planners, on the one side, and investors on the other. While there are several questions of low entrepreneurial penetration in some areas compared to others, development policy has often adopted a “pump-priming” approach, or a narrow political approach of thinning public money among different administrative constituencies in a uniform manner. ISED understands that the problem requires a scientific analysis and a professional approach to tackling it. The City Corporation of Cochin has shown active interest in the ISED Concept, and has highlighted it as an important project in its Annual Budget. 

Entrepreneurship Clinic Project

A clinical approach to the labour market, meant for identifying the latent entrepreneurial potential of the community goes along with the institutional motto of ISED: Sustainable Development through Enterprise. On lines of this approach, ISED joined with the Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Kerala, to design and implement an Entrepreneurship Clinic Model for the State. The ISED model has, subsequently, been implemented in various educational Institutions.

ISED-Kottuvally Panchayat Project

As a continuation of the local economic development modeling and experiments at ISED, the Institute initiated an experimental project with Kottuvally Panchayat, North Parur, Ernakulam district, Kerala. The Project envisaged a dual approach of learning from the Panchayat in relation to the resource base and program, on the one hand, and their concerns and interests relating to employment generation through enterprise development. The Project identified some of the enterprise clusters seeking potential intervention for their development. ISED acted as a bridge between such businesses, on the one hand and the Local Government on the other, along with relevant outside agencies who have the potential for supporting a Local Economic Development agenda.

Little Rome Project, North Parur

‘Little Rome’ (or “Chinna Rome”) as it is popularly known to the local people, is the colloquial generic name for a cluster of households in Kottuvally Panchayat, north Parur, Kerala, engaged in the business of religious artifacts. Though a legacy industry, its potential has not yet been properly showcased and acted upon. Under the ISED Program on Local Economic Development, a Project was developed to look into the current state and potential of this cluster. The Institute initiated a series of interventions including local capacity building and match-making as also business development services, in order to explore and support the sustainable development of this cluster and its participants.

Migration and Enterprise Development Project

While the ILO-ISED initiative on ‘Return Migration’ has made a significant contribution to understanding the problem of migration in Kerala in relation to its international dimensions, inter-regional migration still remains a badly neglected area in the State. Under the KEDR Project, a joint initiative of the Department of Industries and Commerce and ISED, this aspect has been brought into focus. The findings of the field studies by ISED have been brought out as an ISED publication (see www.isedpublications.org).

Ministry of Rural Development – Idukki Project

The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, apart from its program approach, also has a regional approach to rural development and poverty reduction. At the request of the Ministry, the Institute evaluated all programs of the Ministry that were implemented in Idukki district. The comprehensive Report carrying recommendations was submitted to the Ministry.

North Parur Artifacts Exhibition

‘Little Rome’ (or Chinna Rome) as it is popularly known for the local people, is a euphemism for a cluster of households in Kottuvally, North Parur, Kerala, engaged in the business of religious artifacts. Though a legacy industry, its potential has not yet been properly showcased and acted upon. Under the ISED program on Local Economic Development, a project was developed to look into the current state and potential of this cluster. The Institute initiated a series of interventions including local capacity building and match-making, in order to explore and support the sustainable development of this cluster and its participants. As a component of the International Conference on Local Economic Development and SMEs, organized by the Institute jointly with the International Labour Organization, the cluster stakeholders were encouraged to organize an exhibition. While the Institute provided the technical assistance, the Exhibition has contributed to enquiries on sharing of skills between Kerala artisans and the artifacts clusters in Mozambique.

Rural Entrepreneurship Development Program

A pro-active program for Entrepreneurship Development in India has a history that dates back to the 1970s. Though the potential of such Programs is largely in the rural areas, the design and implementation of a Rural Entrepreneurship Development (REDP) Model has a much shorter history. ISED, jointly with two of the all-India Development Finance Institutions, i.e., NABARD and SIDBI, initiated a series of field-level programs for Rural Entrepreneurship Development. The first Program in the series, held at Perumbavoor, Kerala, has gained an exceptional success rate of 69%. Following this, REDPs have been organized by the Institute in identified centres of Kerala from time to time.