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Small and Medium Enterprise Development Training Programme in Indian and Partner Universities in South Asia |
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Research &
Capacity Development
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Centre for
Environment and
Economic
Development, CEED
organizing number of
Capacity Development
programme mainly
Community Based SMEs
programme with
Afghan Rural
Enterprise
Development
Programme, AREDP
under the Ministry
of Rural
Rehabilitation and
Development, MRRD.
AREDP is divided
into two Program
components, one
functional, and
support component.
The two Program
components are
Community-based
Enterprise
Development, which
provides
knowledge-based and
financial services
to community-based
rural enterprises,
and SME Development,
which provides
business advisory
and financial
services to rural
SMEs. The support
component consists
of Program
management
functions, plus
other units that
will handle policy
issues for rural
enterprises, and
research and
technical support
services. |
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The
program is being
sponsored as part of
Afghanistan Rural
Enterprise
Development Program
(AREDP) under
Ministry of Rural
Rehabilitation and
Development (MRRD)
programme for
practical exposure
visit to Indian
Universities and
institutions, this
programme is
collaboration with CEED, ASIA.
Under this exposure
visit the Afghan
participants could
learn new
technology,
practical experience
and gain applied
knowledge to develop
their own capacity
and use local
resources amicably
to meet the present
need and boost the
rural economy of the
Afghanistan. SO far CEED has organized 5
international
Exposure visit and
advance technical
training
successfully in the
areas of Flower and
Fruit Nursery,
Improved Seed
management , Poultry
Farming (Layer and
Broiler and
Marketing ),
Saffron, Honey Bees
, Dairy (Product
Management and
Promotion). CEED
organizing only
trainings in the
specialized
universities and
exports , so that
SMEs could get
better knowledge,
new technology , and
learn more
practically as
university has own
lab, research
Centres ,
application fields,
machineries . Most
importantly the SMEs
could learn and
lifelong contact
with the university
professors and learn
updated knowledge on
both theory and
practice without any
fees. |
Component A:
Community-based
Enterprise
Development |
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Community Enterprise
Development (CED)
develops
community-led rural
enterprises through
organizing rural
men/women around
Savings Groups,
Enterprise groups
and mobilizing
Saving Groups to
organize themselves
in village level
organizations as
Village Savings and
Loans Associations (VSLAs).
It includes three
subcomponents: |
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(A1) Community
Facilitation: |
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This subcomponent
paves the way for
AREDP’s entry into
the villages, and
facilitates
community-level
mobilization and
capacity building
targeted at
Enterprise Groups
and Savings Groups.
First, AREDP
conducts a
Provincial
Situational Analysis
(PSA). This is
followed by
orientation meetings
with key
stakeholders at
provincial and
district levels to
promote Program
awareness and
coordination. |
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(A2) Access to
Finance for
Community Group
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Under this
subcomponent Savings
Groups (SGs) are
formed in order to
provide
opportunities for
people with no job
or income to have
access to affordable
credit to start an
income generating
activity or
enterprise. Basic
financial capacity
is built in these
groups through
developing a history
of savings and track
record of financial
prudence. SGs
thereby become
suitable source for
rural and poor
people to access to
credit and start
their business. The
Program also
promotes the
formation of VSLAs
to augment and to
administer the joint
funds of Savings
Groups. VSLAs will
be eligible to
receive seed capital
from the Program. In
addition to that,
VSLAs will be linked
to MFIs to mobilize
for additional
funds.
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(A3) Support to
Enterprise Groups:
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This subcomponent
works with rural
entrepreneurs to
maximize their
business potential.
On the demand side,
enterprise groups
request BDS support
after discussion of
the benefits of
collaboration and
possibilities of
reaping economies of
scale and other
individuals. On the
supply side, the
Program provides
basic business
development training
and facilitates
access to technical
services. Under this
sub-component,
Enterprise Groups (EGs)
are formed and
further strengthened
through provision of
various trainings.
Rather than imposing
or recommending
products and
enterprises to
communities, the
Program focuses on
empowering
communities to
engage directly with
the market. The
Program cycle for
component A is set
out in the below.
1. Situational
Analysis
2. Community
Mobilization
3. Saving Groups
Formation
4. Internal Lending
5. Enterprise Group
Formation
6. Providing
Training and
Technical Assistance
to SGs and Egs
7. Establishing
VSLAs
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Clients: |
• Savings Groups
A Saving Group (SG)
is a group of 10-20
rural men and women,
who have organized
themselves to meet
and save a certain
amount of money on
weekly basis. SGs
extend loans to
their members during
their weekly
meetings. The SG
members are provided
with toolkits and
basic training
packages i.e.
membership
promotion, book
keeping, basic
accounting and
internal lending, so
as to enable them to
use their books of
records properly and
to utilize their
financial resources
effectively to
establish their own
Enterprise Group.
• Enterprise
Groups
An Enterprise Group
(EG) is a group 5-15
rural entrepreneurs
who join together
and form a group to
develop their income
generating
activities and
establish rural
micro enterprises.
The members of
various saving
groups organize
themselves into
Enterprise Groups,
based on similar
skills within their
rural micro
enterprises and/or
value chains.
• Village Savings
and Loan
Associations
A Village Savings
and Loan Association
(VSLA) is a village
level association,
comprised of the
Saving Groups in a
CDC. The purpose of
a VSLA is to
strengthen SGs, in
terms of their
savings, internal
lending, and
maintenance of SG
books and to
facilitate access
for SG members to
larger loans.
• Small-Medium
Enterprises
A Small and Medium
Enterprise (SME) is
any entity engaged
in an economic
activity to earn
profit, irrespective
of its legal form’.
It would further
mean the
self-employed,
family/household
firms, a company,
partnership firm, a
startup business,
co-operatives and
associations
regularly engaged in
an economic activity
to make profit, may
be considered as an
enterprise. It is
the legitimate
economic activity
that is the
determining factor,
not the legal form. |
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Brief about the CEED and Contact
Detail of Training
Coordinator:
Centre for Environment and
Economic Development:
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Centre for
Environment and
Economic
Development, CEED is
a Research based
international Centre
working for regional
research and
economic development
and cooperation.
Since then worked as
one of the primer
research Centre in
the region and work
for the Greater
South Asian
Cooperation and get
the Reg. No. 0036,
Registered under
Registration Act. XXI
1860/2010, New
Delhi, India ,web
site
www.ceedasia.org.
CEED has already
organized number of
international
training programme
for Humanitarian
support Programme;
Micro Enterprise
Development,
Community
Development
, Capacity
Development of
Agricultural
Farmers, Community
Based Disaster Risk
Ruction and
Management, Gender
Development, Human
Right Advocacy ,
Women and Child
Protection, Water
and Sanitation and
Environmental Health
Management specially
promotion of
Mountain livelihood
and Humanitarian
assistance. We also
organized several
capacity Development
programme for Afghan
entrepreneur and
farmer in prominent
universities e.g. Indira Gandhi
National Open
University, Kashmir
Agriculture
University
,University of
Horticulture and
Forestry, Himachal
Pradesh, Solan,
National Institute
for Rural
Development, Delhi
University ,Indian
Institute of Public
Administration and
CSK Agriculture
University, Himachal
Pradesh in India
under the special
contract from
Ministry of Rural
Rehabilitation and
Development, MRRD
government of
Afghanistan. We hope
we could organize
this training in
professional way in
The Dr. BVR IPMT.
We have strong team
and research network
in Kabul, Kandahar,
Bamiyan, Nangarhar,
Herat, Helmond,
Alberuni, Parwan and
Jalalabad. Where
many of our students
also associate with
us for better
outcome of this
study and dealing
with number of
applied research.
Therefore, we would
like to request you
please consider our
request to conduct
the assignment and
help us for
promotion regional
cooperation and
developments among
the south Asian
countries. Once
again let me thanks
in advance for your
cooperation and
supportive action.
N.B: CEED has
already organized 5
successful training
for AREDP/MRRD
Afghanistan. Since
CEED is part of
Indian University
Research programme
and only organized
the training in
specialized
Universities with
climatic and
climatic mountain
environments similar
to India and the SMEs could keep long
term relationships
for their further
knowledge
development in their
specific field
without any cost or
fees . Most of the
universities could
provide low cast
technologies and
techniques
applicable as the
Afghan SMEs
requirements. |
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Training
Coordinator:
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Dr. Ashutosh Mohanty,
PhD.
Centre for
Environment and
Economic
Development, CEED,
New Delhi India
Email:
amohantydr@gmail.com
Mob: 0091-9030490985
Web :
www.ceedasia.org |
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Success stories:
A Saffron
International Afghan
Businessman
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Ariana is a
well-known saffron
processing,
packaging and
exporting company in
Herat Afghanistan.
On the progress and
achievements of his
company, Mr. Rashidi
the CEO for Arian
company said, “Our
Company’s real image
was built after we
participated in a
training organized
and facilitated by
the Afghanistan
Rural Enterprise
Development Program
in Kashmir, India.
The Afghanistan
Rural Enterprise
Development Program
has provided the
longest lasting
lucrative technical
and marketing
support to Ariana
Saffron Processing,
Packing and
Exporting Company.
The CEO of the
company cited that
the technical and
professional
training facilitated
and organized by the
Afghanistan Rural
Enterprise
Development Program
has significantly
increased their
sales, productivity,
employment rate, and
revenue. On the
impact of the
training Mr. Rashidi
said, “It was a very
remarkable training
which was organized
and based on our
needs and
priorities. In the
training, we learned
important lifelong
things about
cultivation,
processing and
packaging of
saffron.” The
training provided an
opportunity for both
Afghan and Indian
entrepreneurs to
strengthen their
saffron business
markets and
relations. Mr.
Rashidi, with three
employees, initiated
his business three
years ago with a
very basic concept
and limited saffron
producers and
markets. Today, he
is considered as one
of the forerunners
of the saffron
business in
Afghanistan. Today,
twenty direct and
560 indirect
employees are
working for his
company who are
involved in
cultivating,
processing and
packing saffron.
More employees have
started working, as
their revenue and
productivity have
increased. With an
increase in their
productivity, there
was a decrease in
cost. Mr. Rashidi
added that a year
ago they were only
selling 20kgs of
saffron per year,
but today they have
built relationships
with international
saffron
entrepreneurs who
are willing to buy
their products.
Ariana Saffron
Processing, Packing
and Exporting
Company has achieved
international
recognition and
importance for
Afghanistan’s
saffron in
international
markets. The CEO of
the company said
that they have
maintained their
relationships with
saffron businessmen
from India, France
and Turkey. The
company recently has
signed a contract of
300kg saffron
business per year
with a French
Saffron Business
Company. Ariana
Saffron Company is
in a negotiation
process to soon sign
a permanent saffron
business contract
with an Indian
company named,
“Field Fresh
Saffron”. The CEO of
the company
mentioned that
before getting
trained and having
been provided
technical facilities
by the Afghanistan
Rural Enterprise
Development Program,
they were not able
to export and
internationally
market their
products because not
only were they
producing enough
saffron, but they
also compromised
with international
standards and
quality. The
Afghanistan Rural
Enterprise
Development Program,
in addition, to the
incredible training
has provided many
national level
market linkages to
not only Ariana
Saffron Company but
also to four other
saffron processing
companies in Herat.
The companies have
been invited to many
national level
exhibitions to
market their
products in many
provinces of
Afghanistan. These
market linkages have
certainly played a
vital role in
increasing their
productivity, market
linkages, and
revenue. Mr. Rashidi
now says that he is
a very well-reputed
businessman, having
social prestige and
recognition. Based
on his success in
his business, he is
currently appointed
as the head of the
Formal National
Saffron Association.
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International Training Programme on seed processing and Value addition in Kashmir, India |
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In June 2013, AREDP
engaged (CEED)
Centre for
Environment and
Economic Development
for training and
exposure visit for 6
improved seeds SMEs
including one
REDHELMAND staff in
Sher-e-Kashmir
University of
Agricultural
Sciences and
Technology of
Kashmir, India. The
objective of this
training programme
was to disseminate
the knowledge and
technological
know-how about
quality of seed
production, its
processing and
marketing strategies
among the small and
medium enterprises
of Helmand
provinces,
Afghanistan.
Seed can play a
critical role in
increasing
agricultural
productivity: it
determines the upper
limit of crop yields
and the productivity
of all other
agricultural inputs
to the farming
system. Good and
healthy Seeds always
provide ingredients
to nourish the plant
and food production
process. Quality
Seed can be
harvested from the
better-managed crop
yields. Seed
harvesting,
conservation and
managements improve
livelihoods for all
sections of the
rural community
based upon
economically viable
activities – food
production, off-farm
employment and trade
- social cohesion
and sustainable use
of natural
resources. Quality
seed is one of the
most important input
factors governing
the yield potential
of a crop. Use of
unhealthy insect and
disease attacked
seed will just bring
the disaster to
farmers. Therefore,
it is imperative to
supply farmers
quality seed of
various crops.
Freshly harvested
and threshed seed is
generally fit for
growing a new crop.
But it has to be
stored for some
period ranging from
a few days to
numerous years
because of
unfavorable climatic
conditions or
dormancy for
germination or for
national reserve.
The raw seed though
genetically pure,
contains a lot of
undesirable material
like weed seeds,
seeds of other crops
or varieties or
damaged seed.
Therefore it has to
be processed and
upgraded for better
and uniform crop
stand in the next
crop season. The
main cause for
damage of seed is
the moisture
content. The
deterioration in
seed quality is
initiated at
moisture content
above 15% due to
mould growth,
heating due to
increased
respiration and
activities of
micro-organisms. To
avoid such losses in
seed quality and to
maintain it, the
seed has to be
artificially dried
to 10-12% moisture
content before
storing. The seed
has to be dried as
soon as it is
harvested. The
program is being
sponsored as part of
Afghanistan Rural
Enterprise
Development Program
(AREDP) for
practical exposure
visit to Indian
Universities and
institutions. Under
this exposure visit
the Helmand SMEs
learnt new
technology,
practical experience
and gain applied
knowledge to develop
their own capacity
and use local
resources amicably
to meet the present
need and boost the
rural economy of
Afghanistan. This
training brought
together
stakeholders
including SMEs,
technical officials,
business groups,
farmers, etc., and
facilitated exchange
of views and ideas
pertaining to
variety choice, seed
multiplication,
exchange and
marketing. It
further strengthened
technical ideas
starting from
keeping records of
the multiplication
of varieties and
inspection of the
seed production
field, seed
processing, seed
treatment, testing
and finally
packaging for
marketing.
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