Kollam: The cashew and fisheries sectors pin hopes on the UN delegation now in the state exploring possibilities of projects for their sustainable development.
The delegation led by Rene Van Berkel of UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and UN women programme coordinator Sulekha Khan is conducting inspections in cashew and fishing centres.
They held talks with the cashew and fisheries minister J. Mercykkutty Amma at Ashramam Guest House here based on the blueprint of the sustainable development project submitted by the government earlier.
It includes raw cashew import, cashew cultivation technology sharing, ensuring international markets for processed cashew, renovation of cashew factories, modernisation of fish markets, marketing of value-added products, the formation of women self-help groups and women empowerment in both the sectors.
The state aiming at the welfare of women labour force in these sectors had earlier sought technical and financial cooperation from the UN Women, a subsidiary of the UNO for women empowerment and gender equality.
Ms Amma had earlier convened a meeting on the topic with the higher officials of UN Women at the UN headquarters in New York.
In the meeting, it was also recommended to attract women groups and self-help organisations working in Africa under UN Women empowerment projects towards cashew storage which would benefit the cashew industry of Kerala. The move is expected to resonate with the objectives of 'Cashew Conclave 2017' took place in Thiruvananthapuram by participating Senators from African countries.
Steps to set up a value-based distribution network internationally will follow as decided at the meeting at the UN.
The government aims at increasing SAF women groups to 17,482 across the 222 fisheries villages from 924.
Through this, it hopes to increase the income of women labourers engaged in selling fish and associated activities.
