Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods in Bayelsa State
The Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods (PSL) Project was designed to build the capacity of private, government and civil society stakeholders to promote sustainable livelihoods among 22 communities in Bayelsa State. The project, which ran from November 2001 to October 2004, addressed the constraints facing poor communities in establishing sustainable livelihoods; specifically the communities’ lack of access to appropriate information on improved management of natural resources and ineffective key stakeholder partnerships, which underpin rural poverty and environmental degradation.
By providing opportunities for individuals for individuals and groups to learn skills for the better management of natural resources, PSL aimed to achieve a diversification of the income base of target communities.
The project aimed to both evaluate and build upon the work carried out under Living Earth Environmental Action Programme (LEEAP) that had been successfully launched in the Bayelsa State in 1998.
Diversifying income bases...
The communities in Bayelsa depend on their local natural resources for their livelihoods as they farm, fish, hunt and trade in forest products. As the renewable natural resources become over exploited and degraded, livelihoods related to these resources have come under pressure and people in the communities are finding it harder to make a living.
A training needs assessment was carried out and the target areas selected for training included production of ice cream, custard, beverages, petroleum jelly (Vaseline), body pomade, hot balms, chalk, candles, paints, tie and dye (Adire), mosquito repellant cream and pop corn.
A successful case study:
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Miebifagha Dadiowei lives in Obunagha. She participated in the PSL programme where she learnt how to make pomade. After the training she started her own pomade making business; creating the brand name out of her own first name. She believes her product has established itself in the markets in the community and the neighbouring ones. She claimed this achievement was made possible because of the quality of the product, the packaging and the price. Mrs Dadiowei has been able to pass on her newfound skills to her husband and children who now assist her in the business. |
Mrs Dadiowei's Pomade
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Fishing and pond management:
13 communities from Gbarain and Biseni were trained in the ways of community based fishery management, whilst 6 communities from Ogbia were trained in fish feed formulation and the production of fingerlings. Exchange visits were then organised to enable the PSL fish farmers to share their knowledge and techniques on fish feed formulation, fingerlings production and pond management.
Programme funding:
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