NATIONAL SEMINAR ON EMERGING OPPURTUNITIES IN ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS


Organisers: Community Enterprise Forum International (CEFI) & Oxfam GB, New
Delhi, India
Venue: Hotel Megapod Nest, Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India
Date: 27th - 28th August 2006
Last date of Registration: 16th August 2006
Website: www.seminar.cefi.in


Background & Rationale:

Andaman and Nicobar islands - a union territory in India identified and
isolated by the emerald blue and the accompanying mythical perceptions. What
is ignored in the process is the lurking opportunity - economic and social,
for not only the local people in the islands but also for the country as
India continues to lose the potential contribution that the islands can make
to its economic and social fabric. The opportunity lies in turning the
isolated emerald islands to the gateway to India.

Current socio economic features of the island - a sad story but the
potential cant be denied. It has to be excavated.

. A literacy rate, which is amongst the highest in the country, with more
than 60 percent of the literate population proficient in more than one
language.
. The real per capita income of the islands has stagnated.
. Unemployment is on the rise.
. 30 per cent of the local population is within the age of 25 years and
ready to enter the workforce.
. More than 85 percent of the islands employed population, engaged with the
public sector
. Total revenue receipts for year 2003-04 was 8914 lacs only. Of this 14
percent were tax revenue receipts.
. Shipping and forestry are two major sets of contributors to the economy
. Forestry is on a continuous decline in terms of an economic contributor
. Fisheries not currently in the top seven contributors to non tax revenue
in the islands
. Tourism captures a negligible share of 1.56 percent (2003-04) of revenue
earnings
. Controlling presence of A&N Island administration in all facets of the
economy of the islands
. Severe dependence on mainland India for products and services needed in
the islands
. Access to information under stringent control of the administration with
hardly any information available to local population.
. Increasing opportunity for involvement of stakeholders other than the ANI
administration to meet the livelihood needs of the islands.

While resources lie unutilised and opportunities decline, the potential that
the islands has gets neglected. The presence of the ANI administration in
all facets of the economy of the islands has led to its further
deceleration. A lack of innovativeness and strategic approach to development
of socio economic health is reflected all over the islands. Growth of
revenue in the islands continues to fall while dependence on mainland for
regular services registers an increase.

Trends in fishing which could contribute significantly to the island economy
only a 12 percent utilisation of the current potential is visible. ANI has
about 30 percent of the total EEZ in India and one fourth of the country's
coastline. A huge potential both in terms of revenue and employment
generation lies unutilised in fishing. Tourism is the other sector, which
suffers more from the lack of infrastructure in the island more than
anything else. Lack of innovative approaches to attract tourist traffic
coupled with the dearth of facilities in the island has been responsible for
a very slow growth in the sector. This again has suffered immensely from the
Tsunami of 2004. However concerted efforts on community-based tourism,
eco-tourism could change alongwith effective marketing of the existing
tourism potential can lay the ground for efficient growth in the tourism
sector. Inter island transport and accommodation facilities remain a key
constraint harming the sector irreparably. Forests, once the largest
employment opportunity in the islands, is now on a continuous decline as an
employment opportunity. Influenced by the Supreme Court judgement and in
many cases by the sheer lack of efforts of the government, income possible
from forest sources are declining. Public sector dominates heavily as far as
employment scenario in the islands is concerned. More than 85 percent of the
total employed population in the islands is involved with the public sector.
But, opportunities in that sector is also disappearing fast and
opportunities will soon have to emerge from other sectors to arrest the
employment crisis in the islands.

These opportunities lie in sustainable utilisation of natural resources,
innovative use of resources, back up infrastructure and cost effective inter
island transport coupled with improved connectivity with the mainland. This
has to work in tandem with decrease in control over all aspects of the
economy in the islands by the ANI administration.

The Seminar:

Livelihood opportunities in the island have always been restricted, more by
the lack of thought and innovation rather than resources. On one hand while
potential in most areas occur in abundance, the tools to utilise them
sustainable have been missing. A&N Islands is at a juncture of rebirth,
birth after the Tsunami which ravaged whatever little existed, took more
than 3500 lives, permanently ravaged agriculture, dealt an intense blow to a
negligible infrastructure and took away tourists.

However the aftermath of the disaster also left behind it opportunities,
glimmers of hope to be tagged, opportunities that would have to lead the way
to a renewed island.

In an effort to bring the host of experience on identifying the emerging
opportunities in the islands and supporting the growth of these
opportunities, first National Seminar on Emerging Opportunities in Andaman
and Nicobar Islands is being organized by CEFI - LRC (Livelihood Resource
Centre set up by CEFI in the A&N islands), in Port Blair on August 27 and
28, 2006.

At this juncture the island would need substantive thought, innovative
approach and concerted action

From

. People who can make change happen
. People who have proved it through their approaches and action
. People who are willing to play a key role in the renewed development of
the islands
. People who will not just share their thought but also enable them to be
put into action in the islands

This National Seminar on Emerging Opportunities in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands is where you should be.

Thematic Areas for deliberations at the Seminar:

The National Seminar would deliberate on the following sectoral themes with
relevance to the islands:

Sectoral Session I - Agriculture & Food Processing

. Value - Cash Crop
. Production & Productivity
. Value Addition Technologies & Production Systems
. Human Resource - Technical, Research, Training, Capacity Building &
Extension
. Infrastructure and resource availability (Water, Transport, Electricity,
Finance etc.)
. Quality Assurance, Certification and Environment Impact Management Systems

Sectoral Session II - Tourism & Hospitality

. Opportunities - Nature, Adventure, Eco-Tourism, Water Sports, Heritage,
History, Health-Tourism
. Human Resource - Technical, Training, Behaviour & Communication related
Capacity Building
. Infrastructure and resource availability (Water, Transport, Electricity,
Finance etc.)
. Networking - Travel Operators, Associations, Liaising agents and Hotel
Associations etc.
. Marketing - Brand building, building sector profile, marketing and
liaising agents, e-marketing and online services
. Service Quality, Certification, eco-labeling, Affiliations, and
Environment Impact Management Systems

Sectoral Session III - Information & Communication Technologies

. Opportunity for ITES - BPO, Call Centre, Data Processing services etc.
. Human Resource - Technical, Training & Capacity Building
. Infrastructure and resource availability (Connectivity, Entertainment,
Water, Transport, Electricity, Finance etc.)
. Service quality, Business development and marketing support

Sectoral Session IV - Fisheries & Sea Farming

. Production Technologies & Productivity
. Value Addition Technologies, Processing, Preserving & Storage Systems
. Human Resource - Technical, Training & Capacity Building
. Research & development support - product development and quality
improvement
. Infrastructure (Cold chain, Storage etc.) resource availability (Water,
Transport, Electricity, Finance etc.)
. Quality Assurance, Certification and Environment Impact Management Systems

Sectoral Session V - Transport & Energy

. Service quality, infrastructure - port, storage, fueling and service
support
. Green energy production systems - OTEC, Wind energy, Solar, Tidal Energy,
Micro/Pico Hydel, Bio Gas, Bio-Diesel, Bio-Methane (Biowaste energy) and CNG
. Distribution and Management - Decentralised support systems
. Human Resource - Technical, Training & Capacity Building
. Investment & Finance
. Environment Impact Management Systems

Sectoral Session VI - Forest & Environment

. Scientific Research, Eco-Tourism, Forest Camps, Adventure etc.
. MFPs, Agro -Forestry, Joint Forest Management and participatory forest
management
. Value Addition Technologies, Production Systems, product development and
quality assurance
. Human Resource - Technical, Research, Training, Capacity Building &
Extension
. Infrastructure and resource availability (Water, Transport, Electricity,
Finance etc.)

Sectoral Session VII - Credit, Investment & Financial Services

. Financial services and products - Insurance, Loan, Finance, credit
delivery, deposits and investment
. Institutional innovation - Microfinance, venture funding, industrial
activity support products
. Financial Service Delivery - Banks, Cooperative Banks, MFIs, SHGs, Post
Offices, Microfinance institutions and SHGs
. Cash Dispensing (ATMs, Correspondent Banking, Agents etc.)

Registration & Fees:

The registration process is as under:

. Your can register as new participant at our website www.seminar.cefi.in,
choose your login name and enter your profile as a new online system user /
participant.
. Those who have received our postal communication can do registration by
filling the enclosed form.
. Participant needs to identify their category for submitting registration
fee to be submitted on arrival in cash.
. After the registration, if you wish to submit a paper/presentation to the
seminar first select the thematic areas covered by the seminar
. All participants who would be selected would be informed by email.
. Last date for registering for the seminar is 16th August 2006.


The participant registration fee for the seminar is as given in the table
below. The fee (INR) is payable by cheque/DD in favour of Community
Enterprise Forum International payable at New Delhi by 15th August 2006.

. Fee includes participation fee, lodging, boarding and local travel to be
arranged by the organizers
. Travel cost would not be provided to participants, however limited travel
support would be provided for early registration
. Fee is per member, for additional members half of the fee would be
applicable

Accommodation & Logistics:

Accommodation would be provided to all participants in Port Blair from
morning of 26th August 2006 to 29th August 2006 morning. Accommodation of
choice is possible if informed previously; participants registering earlier
would be given options of first choice. Information on accommodation would
be provided on our website in due course. To get more information on
accommodation types please write to us at seminar@...

Note: Accommodations available are both AC and Non AC, please confirm
soonest to book accommodation of choice. National Seminar Secretariat would
be happy to provide you support for any help you may need.

Travel Support:

Invitees and speakers travel would be provided by the organizers.
Participants are expected to bear their own travel cost to attend the
seminar. Limited travel scholarships are available selected participants
would be provide III AC Class to/fro fare by Train to Chennai & Kolkata and
economy airfare to Port Blair. To avail these scholarships please write to
us at seminar@...

Note: Pickup and drop would be arranged from airport and seaport on prior
information and request.

Important Dates:

Important dates to be noted by the participants:

10 August 2006 Confirmation by Participants
10 August 2006 Submission of Travel Itinerary
16 August 2006 Last date for Registration
26 August 2006 Arrival
26 August 2006 Setting up the exhibits, posters, technical demo by
participants
26 August 2006 Welcome Dinner
27 - 28 August 2006 National Seminar
29 August 2006 Emerald Island Tour


National Seminar Secretariat:

Community Enterprise Forum International (CEFI)
Livelihood Resource Centre
23/25, First Floor,
Tagore Road
Middle Point
Port Blair - 744 101
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India
Tel: + 91 3192 236888
Fax: +91 3192 243783
Email: seminar@...
Website: www.seminar.cefi.in




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