Project Update
a) Kelompok Sentra Tenun Ikat Lepo Lorun (Ikat Weaving Group, Nita)
This is a traditional ikat weaving group in the village of Nita, 12km from Maumere. We have introduced them to an NGO from Bali that specialises in textiles and preservation of culture. We have also solved one of their immediate problems by finding a reliable source of 100% cotton, which we will now buy wholesale from Java. We have also helped them organise themselves better, and on 21st May 2006 we will be doing a one day workshop with all the members (about 60 people) to form a vision and mission for the group, and start some work on marketing and product development. At the moment the group have a good reputation with local government, in fact they have just got a capital equipment grant for Rp 50m (USD 5000), but this comes with strings attached and they are not sure how to cope with it. After several meetings it has become clear that the voices of the weavers are being drowned out by a couple of dominant characters in the group, and the group itself has no real idea about where it is headed. There is a real danger that this lack of direction will prevent the group from acheiveing its potential. The planned workshop will be lively and participative, and designed to unearth the experiences of all the members. The output will be a clear vision and misson, a SWOT analyis and an action plan.
One significant change that has already occurred with this group is in respect to the cotton they use. Until now, they have bought cotton from local traders, who have been charging the same price, regardless of inflation, economic crisis etc. The catch is that the weight of each bunch of cotton has been steadily reducing, so the weavers have to buy more and more to make just one traditional sarong. Another drawback is that the locally-bought cotton has been mixed with rayon (though the label still says '100%' cotton), which does not absorb natural dyes as well as cotton. Thanks to help from 'Threads of Life' in Bali, we were able to buy a sample batch of 9 kilos of cotton. The weavers are delighted with this new raw material. They report that whereas previously one 'bale' of cotton was enough for at the most 3 sarongs, they are able to make 7 sarongs from one of these new bales (yet the cost is similar). Furthermore, the cotton absorbs the natural dyes better, saving time in preparing and fermenting large quantities of dye. The older women say that this cotton reminds them of 'how things used to be'.
Thus, JPA-flores, with help from Threads of Life, have been able to reduce the group's input costs while improving their efficiency. It will also improve the authenticity of their product, which is a key component for traditional hand-made items.
b) Kelompok Maju Bersama ('Forward together' group)
This group comprises coconut farmers who are looking at ways to increase their income. Coconut is the most traditional cash crop in Flores, but is now a hard way to make a living. Since the increase in transport costs, the price of this low-value high-volume crop has fallen as it is no longer economic to export it from the island. This group have been looking into the possibility of starting a small-scale industry to process the coconut into Virgin Coconut Oil. Apparently, the cocount here is of very good quality, and the oil has a decent export market. They have already identified a local buyer. They need about Rp 30m (USD 3,000) to spend on capital equipment.
We are helping them widen their research to encompass examining the potential competition, risks and assumptions. We also need to ensure that their business model is sufficiently robust to generate sufficient income to repay the additional labour that each farmer must contribute. If we decide to support this project, we will expect the group itself to find around 20% - 25% of the capital, and we can grant the rest at a low rate of interest.
c) Kelompok Sopir Taxi Bandara Maumere (The Airport Taxi Driver's Union)
Upon arriving in Maumere, one of the first things that vexes tourist and other visitors is that the airport suffers from a surfiet of rather aggressive drivers touting for business. There have been recent incidents of tourists being robbed, or of simply being ripped off. The decent drivers have long wanted to solve this problem, but did not know where to start. Another problem is that all the cars are owned by local wealthy (ethnic Chinese) businessmen, and the driver makes very little money from their labour. The car-owners have little incentive to improve the service offered to customers.
JPA-flores decided to initiate a project whereby the drivers form a cooperative learn about the needs of the customers (expecially tourists) they wish to serve. This may include a deal with the airport to place a sign inside the arrivals hall that alerts tourists to this new service, and offers a fixed tarrif. In the long term, this cooperative may be able to lend money to drivers that wish to buy their own vehicle, as this is the only way to break the cycle of dependency.
JPA-flores has acted as the catalyst for change in an area where the stakeholders have very different perspectives. A meeting has been organised to take place on 8th June 2006 to bring together the drivers, owners, tourism department and airport authority so that the issue can be explored together.
d) Beras Lokal (Local Fairtrade Rice)
This month we are researching the feasibility of setting up a fairtrade group of local rice farmers that sell directly to certain outlets in the towns. There is not much rice grown in Flores, but that which is grown is of good quality, and the paddy fields support quite a lot of employment. Our initial research indicates that local middle-class people (e.g. government employees) are prepared to pay a little bit extra for genuine Flores rice if they know the farmer will benefit. This may be the first in a series of projects designed to promote ‘made in Flores’ type initiatives, persuading the local economy to respect the value of local produce. This project may demand quite a lot of capital (Rp 200m - USD 20k) but, as this is buying stock rather then capital goods, the risk is confined to the trading risk (the possibility of loss through transport costs or wasteage).
Focus group meetings will be held in the coming weeks to explore this idea further, with samples from farmers, buyers, market traders and consumers.
Kelompok Petani Kringga dan Ilemedo (Kringga and Ilemedo Farmer Groups)
This group of 200+ farmers is connected to another VSO partner in Maumere. We have been asked to plan and run a 2 day workshop on 22/23 May 2006 that covers:
- Awareness of marketing issues (being realistic about how the world works)
- Importance of good management and proper business systems
- Approaches to improving bargaining position
- Ensuring sustainability
This group have been part of a pilot project for organic cashew nut and they have great potential.
The budget for this workshop will be covered by a grant from the VSO / SPARK sustainable rural livelihoods project.
f) Koperasi Pasar Geliting (Geliting Market Co-operative)
This is a fairly typical local cooperative, with the usual problems of bad debts, poor management and a ‘verge of collapse’ atmosphere. It needs a comprehensive overhaul, and what makes the group different from others is that they are keen to change. The members are not farmers, but market traders in a local town 8km from Maumere. They are a potential pool of entreprenuers for JPA to work with in future, but the first task is to work with them to sort out their cooperative. If you would like to learn more about any of our activities then please send us an e-mail.
