As the innovative model of rubber drying house has proved successful, many rubber growers are interested in establishing energy efficient rubber drying houses.
Capacity building programs will be organized for regional rubber plantation owners, small cultivators and workers about the new technology related to Rubber plantations.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Females in the families related to the project will be organized as groups in order to initiate a revolving fund scheme and self help groups.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Increasing the number of days of rubber latex extraction which will develop the economy of rubber plantation workers.The Unemployed youth and women will be employed in cultivation of ornamental plants as an undergrowth layer in rubber plantations.
Planning non gef grant
Livelihood development programmes were initiated with the support of a leading local bank with a funding of $ 15000 to be dispensed as loans.
Gender Focus
N/A
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
N/A
Linkages gef projects
N/A
Policy Impact
N/A
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
N/A
Planning gef grant
No
Capacity - Building Component
Regional rubber plantation owners, small cultivators and workers are educated about the new technology such as rubber tree rain protection covers. National level training program will be organized on bio gas technology for the rubber plantations. Rubber plantation owners and workers are directed to a field study with the guidance of Rubber Research Institute. Regional rubber cultivators will be made aware of the negative impacts effects of using chemical pesticides and machines will be introduced for weed removal .Rubber cultivators are instructed to produce A- grade sheet rubber.
Project sustainability
Several new rain guards were introduced to the community which are used to tap latex in the rainy season. The sustainability of the project is ensured along with the increase in their income as a result of the project activities.
Regional small scale rubber planters and tappers are strengthened through this project to produce high quality rubber sheets with ecofriendly technologies. As demonstration models efficient smoke houses and bio gas plants were established with community participation. The NGO had to overcome issues such as market monopoly, price dropping and reluctance by trappers to use rain guard system. The price difference between RSS1 grade and RSS4 or RSS 5 grades has been reduced and therefore, the small holders were in the view that investing money for modifying the smoke houses to produce RSS 1 grade rubber is not profitable. Therefore NGO had to make them aware of advantages such as fuel efficiency and health benefits.
Continuous awareness programs with visits to obtain hands-on information motivated the community to adopt new technologies.
Introduction of alternative livelihoods such as mushroom cultivation to empower the community to overcome financial difficulties during market fluctuations as well as in the rainy season, when the rubber trapping is not taking place.
Policy Influence
The community is organized into CBOs and are strengthened to bring forward the common issues related to the of rubber industry. The innovative model of efficient rubber drying houses was developed from a basic model introduced by the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka. This model is widely accepted by the community due to its increased savings from energy requirements and the high quality of the produced rubber sheets.
Project Results
1.Five energy efficient rubber drying houses were constructed to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and to increase efficiency of the production while improving the quality of the products. The energy efficient rubber drying houses have many advantages over the conventional smoke houses. Most important of them is shortening the production time into one day from four to five days. As a result, the vast amount of CO2 emitted in the production process is drastically reduced. Further these drying houses enabled the beneficiaries to reach highest quality in rubber sheets which resulted in higher incomes.
2.The huge demand for firewood which is fulfilled through the deforestation of tropical forests for the energy needs of the rubber industry was reduced by using waste saw dust as an energy source for the efficient rubber drying houses.
3.Two model bio gas plants operated by rubber waste water was introduced as a solution for the environmental problems caused by the toxic rubber effluent released from the processing centers. The effluent released from the rubber latex cleaning and coagulation process (Serum), which is slightly acidic are directly discharged without any cleaning and gets accumulated in the open land or in nearby streams and produce gases with extreme odors. As a result of this project this hazardous waste water is now used as bio gas for cooking purposes and the remaining water is released after biological distillation.
4.Since the point endemic critically endangered fish species Puntius bandula is in this vicinity this project contributes in making the streams a conducive habitat by reducing the water pollution due to the rubber effluent.
5.There also has been health improvements for the community as the new smoke house has been made in such a manner that the rubber trays can be taken out so that individuals do not have to go inside a smoke filled room and inhale toxic fumes.
6.Value addition was introduced to the conventional rubber industry to increase economic gains. Mushroom cultivation was introduced as an alternative source of income to the small holder rubber planters. A revolving fund was established and small loans were provided to obtain raw materials start the livelihood.
7.Introduction of rain guards to the rubber estates to increase the income of the community by enabling latex tapping on rainy season. These guards assists in maintaining the rubber latex collection during the rainy season and thereby considerably contribute to the production.
