WOMEN’S ROLE IN FBSSEs

Seat

Forest based small-scale enterprises (FBSSEs) represent major source of supplementary income of the rural women of Bangladesh. About 48.9% of the total population is women so without the involvement of women any development activity is impossible. In Bangladesh about 97% of the FBSSEs are located in the rural areas, and women are comprised about 3% of the FBSSEs entrepreneurs. FBSSEs play an important role for improving the living standards of rural women and more than half of the total female workforce of Bangladesh are engaged in making mats from Schumanianthas dichotoma (local name is Patipata), and from other related plant materials like Typa elephantina (local name is Hogla).

FBSSEs products are hand weaved local mats, prayer mats, seats, hand fan, and these products made from patipata, hogla, bamboo and talpata. Raw materials are collected from homesteads, village grooves and other sources. Women were engaged in making local mats, and hand made fans whereas men engaged in the marketing of the products. From the FBSSEs income, women generally keep it to supplement family and to repay the loans taken from Banks and NGOs. About 28% women and 24% men entrepreneur's marginal income range is from 18 USD (1500 BDT) to 25 USD (2000 BDT).

FBSSEs have been accepted as an important income generation source and extension work of the household activities of Bangladeshi rural poor women. Moreover, women empowerment achieved flexibility and also control over their daily livelihood.