SAS 1000: Enhancing Livelihoods for Rural and Urban Poor

Explore SAS 1000, a transformative initiative by ICAI, focusing on enhancing livelihoods for rural and urban poor. Learn about the systematic social audit process, impact on poverty alleviation, income enhancement, and the evaluation framework for social impact assessment. Uncover insights for holistic development, transparency, and recommendations to strengthen positive change in the lives of small farmers and non-farm workers.

Introduction: In pursuit of inclusive growth and social justice, SAS 1000 emerges as a vital instrument to uplift the lives of the rural and urban poor, with a particular focus on boosting the income of small farmers and non-farm workers. Rooted in the principles of eradicating forced labor, safeguarding rights, and ensuring safe working environments, this initiative encapsulates the commitment to fostering equitable economic development.

This SAS will become effective once it is posted by ICAI. It emphasizes boosting the productivity and income of farmers, especially women, eliminating forced labor, upholding their rights, and providing a safe workplace.

The Social Audit Process: A Detailed Examination

The social audit process, as delineated in SAS 1000, is a comprehensive and structured approach designed to meticulously assess the impact of initiatives directed towards the upliftment of livelihoods, particularly targeting the rural and urban poor. This process is central to ensuring that the objectives of poverty reduction and income augmentation, at the heart of the SAS 1000 framework, are not only met but also achieved with precision and accountability.

Systematic Approach: The social audit process is characterized by its systematic nature. It is a methodical journey that involves various steps orchestrated to unfold the effectiveness of the initiatives under scrutiny. This approach is rooted in the principles of transparency, objectivity, and unbiased evaluation, ensuring that the assessment process remains true to its intended purpose.

Data Collection and Analysis: At the crux of the social audit process is the meticulous collection and analysis of data. This entails gathering a plethora of information relevant to the initiatives being examined. This information is sourced from various stakeholders, including beneficiaries, implementing agencies, trainers, and other relevant parties. The data collected encompass diverse facets, ranging from economic indicators to social impact, reflecting the multi-dimensional nature of the initiatives.

Ensuring Desired Outcomes: The ultimate goal of the social audit process is to ascertain the extent to which the intended outcomes have been achieved. These outcomes, as outlined in SAS 1000, primarily revolve around poverty alleviation and the augmentation of income for small farmers and non-farm workers. Through data analysis, the process gauges the tangible changes brought about by the initiatives in the lives of the target beneficiaries.

Impact on Poverty Alleviation: The social audit process delves into the impact of the initiatives on poverty alleviation. This involves an intricate examination of whether the initiatives have succeeded in reducing the economic vulnerabilities of the beneficiaries. The assessment encompasses various dimensions of poverty, including income levels, access to basic amenities, and overall improvement in living conditions.

Enhancement of Income: One of the pivotal aspects scrutinized during the social audit is the enhancement of income, especially for small farmers and non-farm workers. The process dissects the impact of the initiatives on the economic status of these individuals. It evaluates whether the interventions have led to a substantial increase in income, consequently bolstering their economic resilience.

Holistic Analysis: The social audit process embraces a holistic analysis that goes beyond mere economic indicators. It delves into the socio-cultural implications of the initiatives. This entails understanding how the initiatives have empowered women, enhanced education levels, promoted social inclusion, and contributed to the overall well-being of the beneficiaries.

Accountability and Transparency: One of the cornerstone principles of the social audit process is accountability and transparency. It ensures that the assessment is conducted impartially, without any bias or vested interests. This aspect is crucial in maintaining the credibility of the evaluation and fostering trust among stakeholders.

Report and Recommendations: Upon the completion of the social audit process, a comprehensive report is generated. This report encapsulates the findings, insights, and observations drawn from the data analysis. It provides a comprehensive overview of the impact achieved by the initiatives, highlighting both the successes and areas that require further attention. Additionally, the report may include recommendations for refining and strengthening the initiatives for enhanced impact.

Strengthening Impact: Ultimately, the social audit process serves as a powerful tool to strengthen the impact of initiatives aimed at enhancing livelihoods. By meticulously assessing the outcomes and identifying areas for improvement, this process contributes to the continuous refinement and optimization of strategies that drive positive change in the lives of the rural and urban poor.

Evaluation Framework for Social Impact Assessment:

A. Understanding Impact on Participants:

The core of the evaluation framework revolves around understanding the impact of the initiatives on the participants, particularly those from the target demographic. These questions delve into the transformational journey of individuals who have been part of the awareness campaigns, programs, or workshops.

i. Attendance and Engagement:

• • Did the target individuals actively attend the awareness campaigns, programs, or workshops?
  • Were participants engaged throughout the duration of the initiatives?

ii. Change in Perspective:

• • Have participants experienced a change in their way of thinking after engaging in the initiatives?
  • Has the awareness campaign/programs/workshop led to a shift in their perception of key issues?

iii. Knowledge Enhancement:

• • Did participants gain knowledge that was previously unknown to them?
  • Can participants identify specific areas where their understanding has improved?

iv. Application and Utilization:

• • Have participants effectively applied the knowledge gained from the initiatives in their lives?
  • Can they provide examples of how they have utilized this newfound knowledge?

v. Sharing and Dissemination:

• • Have participants shared the knowledge acquired from the initiatives with others?
  • Can they highlight instances where they have contributed to the dissemination of information?

B. Exploring Program Composition:

The assessment framework extends beyond individual impact to analyze the alignment of the initiatives with the composition of the participants and their intended objectives.

i. Consistency of Objectives:

• • Were the program objectives found to be aligned with the composition of the participants?
  • Did the initiatives cater to the diverse needs of the individuals involved?

C. Quality of Initiatives and Participant Satisfaction:

The quality of the awareness campaigns, programs, or workshops, along with participant satisfaction, is a critical aspect of the evaluation.

Quality Assessment:

• • How would participants rate the quality of the awareness campaign/programs/workshop?
  • Can they identify aspects that were particularly impactful or areas for improvement?

Participant Satisfaction:

• • Were participants satisfied with the content, delivery, and overall experience of the initiatives?
  • Did they feel that their expectations were met?

D. Evaluating Socio-Economic Impact:

The framework seeks to measure the tangible socio-economic changes that have resulted from the initiatives.

Personal Impact:

• • Can participants articulate the impact the initiatives have had on their personal lives?
  • Are there specific changes they have witnessed in their daily routines or circumstances?

Income Enhancement:

• • Have participants observed an increase in their income as a direct outcome of the initiatives?
  • Can they attribute this change to the knowledge and skills acquired?

Well-being and Quality of Life:

• • Have participants experienced an improvement in their overall well-being since engaging in the initiatives?
  • Can they identify factors that have contributed to this enhancement?

E. Continuous Identification of Questions:

The comprehensive nature of the assessment requires the auditors to continually identify pertinent questions that delve into various dimensions of impact.

Key Metrics: Framing and Assessment

The SA will follow the results of this evaluation in coming to their report’s conclusion. They will be able to evaluate the performance of the social enterprise based on its social impact after collecting all the data and analyzing the important parameters. These grading inquiries could cover the following topics:

• What would have happened in the absence of the intervention?
• How much has the project contributed to the changes that are evidenced?
• Is there any unintended negative impact that happened due to the intervention?

Covered by the survey, such information regarding strengthening livelihoods for rural and urban poor, including enhancing the income of small and marginal farmers and employees in the non-farm sector, may comprise the following points:

(a) Composition

• Demography, Social Background of the small and marginal farmers and workers in the non-farm sector – e.g., Age-wise distribution, Marital status, social category-wise distribution, representation/participation by women
• Ancestral background of the small, marginal farmers, and workers in the non-farm sector
• Selection process of the small, marginal farmers, and workers in the non-farm sector and identification of training needs

(b) Training program aspects

• Relevance & usefulness of farmer-specific training
• Nature of training imparted
• Duration of training and its sufficiency

(c) Income enhancement

• Deployment type (wage/salary/self-employed)
• Nature of first engagement/activities after training (Regular/Temporary/ Casual)
• Current status after receiving training
• Waiting period for employment/gap post-completion of training
• Creating opportunities for women in the families of small and marginal farmers in the dairy farming/ cottage industry e.g. bamboo articles, embroidery, art crafts, food products like pickles, papads, jams, preservatives, etc. – contribution to monthly income of the family units needs to be assessed.
• Arranging for / Improving access to microfinance/farm loans, etc. – Increase in annual production
• Arranging for / Improving access to Agro Insurance – Improvement in insurance coverage
• Arranging for / Improving access to Government Benefit schemes- Reduction in cost of production

(d) Socio-economic factors

• Livelihood creation
• Increase in income
• Improved facilities at home

(e) Other factors

• Holistic development
• Entrepreneurial skill development
• Extra-curricular programs offered
• Amenities/resources provided
• Impact on indirect beneficiaries
• Training program for the non-farm sector (includes all economic activities in rural areas except agriculture, livestock, fishing, and hunting), such as vocational training, skill development, entrepreneurial training, etc.

Assessment of evaluation criteria

The Social Auditor needs to recognize the evaluation criteria of both Qualitative and Quantitative for assessing the impact.

Some key aspects that can be considered as evaluation criteria are listed below:

Quantitative

(A) Demographic Information

• Literacy Level in Different Categories of Households (illiterate, primary, middle, high school, Inter, Graduate, Postgraduate)

(B) Productivity and Income

• Income distribution of the target beneficiaries
• Agricultural productivity and income of the farmers
• of individual individuals farm and non-farm activities
• Land holding per household
• Size distribution of ownership holding of land
• Distribution of farmers and area operated
• Distribution of ownership and operation of land

(C) Sustainable practice in production

• Use of farm equipment and modern technology
• of farmers engaged in Organic farming
• Practices for soil sustainability and water/ resource conservation

(D) Migration

• Incidence / Extent of Migration (for wage employment / salaried job/education) among Households
• Migrants as a percentage of the Total Adult Male Population
• Proportion of seasonal migrants amongst total migrants

(e) Asset Ownership

• Livestock Population Per 100 Households
• Ownership of Agricultural Assets (Pump sets, Tractors, Threshers, Plough, etc.)

(f) Labour Force Participation

(g) Security and Tenancy rights

• Tenure of tenancy for cultivation/Tenure rights

Qualitative

(a) Improved access outcome

• Access to road transportation
• Access to land
• Access to water/building drought resilience
• Access to seeds and fertilizers
• Access to improved breeds of animals/fish

(b) Natural Resources Outcomes

• Preservation of natural resources
• Sustainable management practices
• Environmental services

(c) Employment outcome – nonfarm employment and agriculture labor

(d) Production outcome – types of production/diversification

(e) Price volatility outcome – consumer and farmer vulnerability to short-term price changes.

(f) Trade-specific impacts – agro and rural non-farm trade 

Challenges/ Areas for Improvement

Based on their suggestions and input, which may have an impact on the impact assessment, the stakeholders’ difficulties and areas for improvement should be identified by the social auditor.

• Lack of co-ordination/support with the other implementing agencies/ Government Departments
• Lack of planning, and pre-assessment, leading to unintended negative impact of the project
• Limited participation from the local population due to social prejudice
• Slow execution of the project resulting in negative impacts
• Selection process of the beneficiaries has not been fair due to various socio-economic and political hurdles
• Beneficiaries falling back into poverty due to an absence of social and financial security systems in place

Limitations

• Cases of no-response in case the questionnaire is not administered in person
• Some of the questions being skipped by the respondents and remaining unanswered
• Non-availability of respondents due to relocation to other places after completion of the course
• Change in contact details of respondents due to which they could not be contacted

Any significant challenges or limitations observed must be highlighted by the SA in their report.

My Remarks 

Our Country has faced issues with exploitation of labour in the past. While much has been done to alleviate the urban poor and also non-farm labour, a lot needs to be done in this area. It’s a challenging area for the Social Auditor as ill literacy and vested interest of some people may prove obstacles for him to review the social impact.