GRANITE Phase 2, Toolbox
Analysis
May 28-29, 2007
Achievements of GRANITE I
Project Snapshot
Title
Grassroots Reachout & Networking in
India on Trade & Economics
(GRANITE)
Funded by
The Royal Norwegian Embassy, New
Delhi, and Oxfam Novib, The
Netherlands
Project Duration
January 2005-March 2007
Implementing Agency
CUTS Centre for International Trade,
Economics & Environment (CUTS
CITEE)
Focus states
Andhra
Pradesh,
Karnataka,
Maharashtra,
Orissa,
Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal
Focus sectors
Agriculture and Textile & Clothing
Project Snapshot
Overall Objective
To create long-term capacity of grassroots CSOs and other targeted stakeholders to
address complex issues of globalisation and the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
and their relationship with economic development and governance in India
State Partners
Maharashtra
Samarthan
Orissa
Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD)
West Bengal
CUTS – Calcutta Resource Centre (CUTS CRC)
Rajasthan
CUTS Centre for Consumer Action, Research & Training (CUTS CART)
Tamil Nadu
Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG)
Andhra Pradesh
Consumer Guidance Society (CGS)
Uttar Pradesh
Network of Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (NEED)
Karnataka
Consumer Rights, Education & Awareness Trust (CREAT)
Total Budget
Rs. 14,333,000
Relevance of the Project
Project is highly relevant to the setting as:
• A large share of the population lives marginalised from
India’s economic growth, and is engaged in informal
employment, in agriculture and artisan trades.
• Benefits of economic growth have not percolated to the
weaker sections, for various reasons.
• Mainstreaming these stakeholders is a key challenge for
India’s economic growth and social development.
• Improving economic literacy at grassroots level will enable
stakeholders to see the links between their livelihoods and
economic developments, including those related to trade
and globalisation.
Relevance of the Project contd..
Sectors are chosen as:
• Agriculture and textiles are the two largest employment/
livelihood sustenance sectors in India.
• Textiles and Clothing is the second largest employment
creating sector
• Trade and globalisation especially WTO agreements
have impacts on both sectors.
States are chosen as:
• Regional balance
• The eight states selected for the project have sizeable
agriculture sectors, and some have sizeable handloom
textiles sectors.
• Three states have very low export intensities in the
sectors.
Relevance of the Project contd..
State Partners are chosen as:
•
•
•
•
Grassroots presence
Convening power and credibility
Some have a history of partnership with CUTS
However, varying levels of conversancy on sectorspecific livelihood issues
• Most have limited exposure to trade and globalisation
issues, first exposure for some.
Effectiveness- Target Outcomes
Eight CSOs capable of analysing,
articulating and advocating on issues of
globalisation
Substantial
success
Establishment of National Trade Policy Partial
Council and at least 6 State Trade Policy success
Councils
Two pro-poor changes in Foreign Trade
Policy 2004-2009
A well-established national
network of CSOs on globalisation issues
Not
attributable
Substantial
success
Study document on the impact of WTO
rules on the chosen sectors in 2 states
Output, not
Outcome
Effectiveness - Other outcomes
• Capacity enhancement of partners
• Increased articulation by grassroots
stakeholders
• Development results for beneficiaries:
– Enhancement of livelihood opportunities
Potential Impact
• Realisation by grassroots stakeholders
that their livelihoods have important
linkages with domestic policies and
international covenants.
• Multiplier effect of the experience gained
by partners in creating a stakeholders’
forum for analysis, articulation and
advocacy of grassroots concerns
Key gains from the project
• Reachout meetings acknowledged as an effective
forum for grassroots stakeholders
• Tangible and attributable benefits for stakeholders
through increased awareness and understanding
of trade issues
• Increased reporting in local media on trade and
WTO issues
• Initiation of interface between grassroots
stakeholders and the policy makers
Key gains from the project contd..
• Enhanced capacities of state partners in
understanding, analysing, articulating and
advocating on issues related to trade and
globalisation/WTO issues
• Strengthening of network of civil society
organisations that interact and share research and
capacities /skills on issues of globalisation
Conclusions and Recommendations
Project Emphasis:
• Grassroots stakeholders are rather remote from trade
and globalisation, and their livelihoods are linked more
to domestic trade issues than WTO. Project emphasis
should be amended.
Sector Scope and Coverage:
• Agriculture and textiles are large, complex sectors with
several products/segments, all not having similar pro
poor dimensions. Focus of the interventions should be
narrowed to a few products common to most states
and a few cross cutting themes.
• Project partners do not have adequate level of
expertise or skills in both sectors, which skews the
thrust of actions across various states.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Capacity enhancement:
• Focused training on sector-specific trade and
globalisation issues could not be provided.
• Formal training on sector-specific trade issues should
be included in the project. Specialist resource persons
should be inducted to bridge knowledge gaps among
partners. Some examples already seen in Phase I.
• SMART (specific, measurable, attributable, realistic
and time-bound) indicators should be developed for
project actions.
Factors affecting implementation
Internal Factors
• Staff constraint/turnover
• State partners lacking in-house expertise / sector
conversancy
External Factors
• Inadequate engagement with Government bodies
and policy makers
• Limited interest of local media
• Other unforeseen reasons as delay in the elections
or heavy rainfall.
Project relevance for Phase 2
• Phase 1 has its success and non-success (including deferred
success) with regard to its advocacy efforts.
• The Project is the first of its kind at the grassroots level and a
base has been created.
• The base has to be nurtured in order to create a sustainable
space for the Indian civil society to make citizens’ voices
heard on issues relating to economic governance, particularly
at the grassroots.
• The space for the Indian civil society to intervene on issues
relating to economic governance at the grassroots is limited
• A concerted beginning has been made to make this space
expand and be sustainable in the long-run.
• This rationale will take the GRANITE initiative forward in its
next phase.
Thank You