Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), launched on May 5, 1998 and registered in 2002, is the only national level civil society organization of the Fisherfolk communities of Pakistan. PFF now has 111 Units in different villages and localities in Sindh / Pakistan. PFF presently is running 07 projects amounting 46.5 million rupees for the betterment of coastal communities.

Since its inception PFF has been active in the awareness, mobilization and community organization for the protection as well as sustainable management of the fisheries and other community livelihoods through advocacy, participatory research, information dissemination and participatory community development processes.

PFF has been active in working towards the sustainability of the livelihoods of fisher people living in the 1050-kilometer Pakistani Coast. PFF has worked on many problems affecting this region, particularly Karachi, Thatta and Badin districts. PFF has established strong linkages with many international and national NGOs working on sustainable livelihoods, disaster mitigation and environmental issues. Through advocacy and wide education campaigns, PFF has helped bring light on the plight of the country?s fisher people.

2. Justification for Support - Linkages with GEF Themes and
Operational Programmes

In past Agriculture, Livestock and fisheries were the livelihood resources of coastal communities. The alluvial soil of deltaic region, coupled with moderate climate, was ideal for growing a vast variety of traditional as well as high value crops such as vegetables, fruits, fodder and oilseeds. Livestock was traditionally part of rural and agricultural economies. People usually reared camels, sheep, cows, buffaloes, goats and hens.

Presently the Coastal communities are the poorest communities in Pakistan and their livelihood resources are under constant threat of depletion. About 90% of the households in the coastal communities rely on fishing and other fisheries related activities. Biodiversity loss in coastal areas is severe. As reported in ?Indus Delta Vulnerability Study? conducted by PFF in 2006, 220 species of crops, herbs, shrubs, grasses, trees, birds, mammals, reptiles and insects have vanished in district Badin.

With the degradation of natural resource base, there has been a persistent decline in the socio-economic condition of the coastal communities, rise in poverty level, malnutrition and the deterioration of people?s health in general. The scarcity of potable water is the most significant factor that contributes to the increasing incidence of skin diseases, eye infections and problems with the digestive tracts. Both underground and surface freshwater resources have been degraded by sea intrusion. Freshwater aquifers have been contaminated through underground seepage of saline water. Potable water has become scare and the sources that yielded freshwater a few years ago have turned brackish.
The proposed project is designed to contribute to GEF NGO small-grants program country specific criteria of:
a) Promotion of conservation of environment and sustainable use of natural resources.
b) Project activities also contribute to the GEF small-grants program principal objectives of;
i) Replicable strategies and technologies to reduce threat to global warming
ii) Spread of successful community level innovations among COs and NGOs for scaling up of effort and building of partnerships and network of local stakeholders and strengthening of community.

3. Context/Baseline

Badin one of the coastal districts of Sindh, has been declared as the poorest districts of Pakistan by UNDP in the latest report. With the total population of 1.4 million, health and education indicators are very poor in the district. Adult literacy rates are 10.5% for women and 34.7 for men. Badin is a hazard-prone district, which over the last five decades has remained in the grip of an uninterrupted cycle of disasters in one form or the other. Cyclones, heavy rainfalls, droughts and floods flow each other with short-lived intervals.

The Badin district administration has drawn a map of more vulnerable areas that includes southern part of Union Council Bhugra Memon, Ahmed Rajo and Kadhan. These areas are just a few inches above sea level, where tidal waves of the sea come twice a day without fail, affecting the livelihoods of the communities. Majority of the coastal communities usually purchase the water cans at heavy prices, making then economically more vulnerable. The water purchased and consumed is excessively unhygienic and causes outbreak of many water ? borne diseases. Most housing units have open ? air kitchens in which firewood is the main source of fuel. The smoke as well as the solid food wastes causes serious health and sanitation problems.

The proposed project area is comprised of Two villages, Village Zero Ghungro, of Ahmed Rajo Union council and Village Kandri of Bhugra Memon Union Council, District Badin, Sindh
These villages are situated in the extreme proximity of the Arabian Sea Coast. The total population of the villages is 5800. Majority of the population belongs to indigenous Sindhi clans. Although Muslims are in majority in the proposed area, however, the area is also home to majority Hindu communities, living side by side with the Muslims for generations.

4. Project Objective and Proposed Activity

Objective 1: Awareness raising and capacity building of 5800 community members and other stakeholders on environmental issues.

Activities Under Objective 1:
· Community mobilization meetings for formation of COs and effective coordination for the implementation of project activities;
· Formation of Two COs with equal representation of male and female community members.
· Identification of 50 community activists from Two villages (15 from each village at-least 10 female from each village)
· Organize two 2 days training workshops for 50 community members on basic organizational management.
· Organize two 2 days training workshops for 50 community members on financial management and record keeping;
· Organize two training workshops for 50 community members on environmental issues;


Objective 2: Provision of safe drinking water to 5800 community members through Water Desalination plant.

Activities under objective 2:

· Publication and dissemination of written material on health and hygiene focusing on usage of contaminated water.
· Identification of location of Desalination plants
· Installation of Two desalination plants in two villages

Objective 3: Rehabilitation of pre drains containing polluted water dumped by sugar mills.

Activities under objective 3:

· One research study on causes and impacts of sea pollution
· Four consultative meetings with sugar mill owners to motivate them for installing waste-water treatment plants
· Two consultative meetings with EPA
· Four consultative meetings with District administration
· Two Advocacy Seminars on sea pollution.

Objective 4: To transfer the COs towards self-reliance, sustainability and active participation in the village development process through the close coordination with local government;

Activities under objective 5:

· Six meetings of CCBs members (Chairman, General Secretary and Finance Secretary) with community development department for registration of CCBs;
· Two one-day training on roles and responsibilities of CCB
· Two one-day training on village survey and needs assessment
· Two 3-days training on project cycle management organized for office bearers of Two CCBs
· Two 2-days facilitation workshops on development and filling of project proposal (scheme) format with members of CCBs in Two villages;
· Formation of a coordination council of both CCBs

Project work-plan is attached at Annex-II

5. Project Strategy

The project will be implemented by project team of PFF in the Two villages of Union Council Ahmed Rajo of district Badin, Sindh.

Project team will identify 50 community activists (25 activists from each village, at-least 10 of them will be women), for trainings and support the project activities.

· Facilitating all the similar interest groups from different villages of the particular interest/activity at village level called Community Organizations (COs), or what ever the context should be. The COs would explore resources for materializing the plans and seek support to initiate and sustain the project. From the very beginning the structure would become a partner of PFF along with having other collaborations
· For the purpose, PFF would support in promoting Human Resource Cadre equipped with technical and managerial expertise. The initiative would be compounded with developing link with particular line departments that directly benefit the interest of the community. The preferences would be in the areas directly related with problems of subject. The entire project would be undertaken in a way that can create and protect entitlements by securing and mobilizing the Natural Resources.
· In the submitted proposal, PFF intends to involve women at par. Subsequent to training the women activists will train the rest of community through community conferences, women community organizations at (COs) and seminars at village level with line department and local council.
· Community Organizations as the grassroots structures of Village conduct meetings regularly and are equipped with trained human cadre. In Two villages of the proposed project area the institutional base would be created. These grassroots organizations would be collaborating, and seeking support from all the other stakeholders in the area during the process of the implementation
· The Nazims, councilors, and CCBs would also be involved in the process of implementation of the activities. The meetings with all the stakeholders would be the base of experience sharing and strategizing the activities for scale The formation of CCBs will help to community for taping the government resources through District Government for the small community development projects of the area.
· The COs and CCBs would be created and trained on the basis of future sustainability of the project interventions. The international learning and experience from the GEF / UNDP would be taken from time to time as the guiding principles and successful stories and strategies would be translated in the local context to converge the outcome with global development goals.
· The targeted Two villages will be provided the safe drinking through installation of desalinization plants.
· Advocacy and sensitization campaign will be launched by the community against the sea pollution affecting their livelihood in particular and environment in general.
· Additionally technical support will be acquired through different governmental and non-governmental organizations specializing in the particular technical area.
· Coordination and networking of the clusters will be established in the project time period so as to continue the activities after the project period as well as linkage with PFF will also continue for other advocacy issues at provincial and national level.

6. Technical Feasibility

Technical support will be acquired from Industrial Technology Services, Geology Department, University of Sindh, Jamshoro and Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technology (PCRET) Sindh office as well as other Government, Private and Non-Governmental Organizations.

7. Anticipated Results

· Two village organizations formed with equal representation of male and female community members.
· 5800 Communities of 2 villages union council Ahmad Rajo, district Badin organized and mobilized for collective action and aware on environmental issues including safe drinking water and impacts of carbon dioxide (a key greenhouse gas).
· 50 selected activists of Two COs trained on basic organizational management;
· 50 selected activists of Two COs trained on basic financial management and record keeping;
· 5800 community members aware on environmental issues.
· Pollution of sea resulting from dumping of solid and liquid waste by Sugar mills reduced through sensitization of issue with Sugar mill owners and EPA.
· 5800 people of Two villages got access to safe drinking water and the economic burden on coastal communities reduce.
· The risk of unhygienic and unhealthy condition including water born diseases reduced among 5800 people of Two villages.
· Improved energy efficiency directly reducing consumption of fire woods and timber requirement for cooking and heating, reduced health problems and incidences associated with poor living conditions, increased disposable household income, increased gender equity; reduced work load of women; increased spare time for women for leisure, and improved social status of the poor communities by adding value to their living conditions
· 850 women (one from each household) of Two villages trained on safe usage of smokeless stoves
· Two citizen community boards (CCBs) formed with male and female participation in the targeted Two villages;
· Two CCBs registered with community development department;
· 50 members of Two CCBs trained on role and responsibilities of the CCB;
· 50 members of 20 CCBs trained on project cycle management;
· Two CCBs submitted small schemes to local government;
· One coordination council of both CCBs formed;