Economic Dimension Successes: Infrastructure and Income
The clustered arrangement of requisite infrastructure in Salam village has significantly enhanced the project’s economic success by improving efficiency. The close proximity of necessary infrastructure has facilitated an efficient lifecycle by enhancing ease of access between homes and the processing location which promotes limited travel time and reduces time spent on arduous tasks (Schwarze and Zeller 2005). This situation improves project efficiency and productivity by providing a social space that complements the women’s other responsibilities. Working women habitually acquire greater workloads than working men as traditional social structures designate additional domestic duties to women (Loh and Dahesihsari 2013). Clustered infrastructure and its ability to promote accessibility enables women to balance these competing aspects and allocate adequate time and resources towards improving efficiency and productivity of the project. This ability of infrastructure proximity to enrich efficiency and productivity is also indispensable for elevating income and enhancing resilience to shocks.
As an attribute that is highly valued by Lingkar and the women’s collective, performance of the project in the context of income is notable. The collective perceived this aspect as a success with the level of income typically being high and the hierarchical structure of revenue distribution considered reasonable. Income is particularly enhanced by the high quality of cassava in the area which ensures reduced revenue loss and consistent sales. Maintenance of this high cassava quality and its influence on income is indispensable for positive income growth and reduced vulnerability to future disaster threats (Viverita et al. 2014; Lingkar Association 2010). A disadvantage however is that income, due to the seasonal nature of agricultural occupations, is inconsistent, thereby reducing resilience and security during lower- income periods (e.g. Salayo et al. 2012). However, this is somewhat countered as the collective further developed their occupational multiplicity (in livestock, banana chips as well as selling grass) in the event cassava production stalls. This practice ensures income continuity and financial resilience through its ability to spread risks against agricultural production or market failures (FAO 2013). The development of further income alternatives outside project activities and goals highlights how this project has successfully empowered the collective to self-help and independently implements strategies for resilience.
