“Study on Analysis of Natural Resource Potential, Market Demand and Target Groups” (A Case Study of Micro- Enterprises Develoment Program (MEDEP) in Kalikot District)

Abstract

The study was carried out with the objective to find out the natural resource potential,market demand and target groups and by entrepreneurs for the sustainable development of micro- enterprises. This study is conducted on micro level and has focused on the present market situation of the micro- enterprise. The study actually tries to deal about the natural resource potential,market demand and target groups by entrepreneurs. For this study Kalikot district was taken as the study area where MEDEP has conducted Micro-enterprise development program since 2008 A.D. On the basis of simple random sampling method altogether 55 entrepreneurs were selected as the respondents of this study who have involved in micro-enterprises development program conducted by MEDEP. Out of 55 entrepreneurs 45.45 percent were male and 54.55 percent were female entrepreneurs. Majority of the respondents found in disadvantaged and marginalized groups. Either they are land less or small land holders. Traditionally their major source of income is agriculture and wage labour. Before launching the Micro Enterprises Development Program in Kalikot district by MEDEP, only few person do such type of entrepreneurial work ( Bamboo Nanglo Making, Bamboo Tokary Making and Pottery) by seasonal. After launching the program and financial support from ADB/N they manufacture these goods in large scale as a main source of income. MEDEP also provide different training for those possible entrepreneurs. The enterprises in the district are depends on Nepalese natural resources available in the district within the country. Some productive entrepreneurs have partially used foreign raw material purchased at Utar pardesh State India. Entrepreneurs are still unable to use local resource in local market. . They congested only within local area and also inside the district. Only few entrepreneurs reached outside the district and Rupahidiya (India) near Nepalgunj. also but their number is negligible. The marketing component in any business or enterprises is perhaps the most important element but most of the micro enterprises development program are only focused credit and skill development training or entrepreneurship development training programme They are not eligible to focus marketing components such as identifying buyers and their daily needs,. Due to the lack of necessary information about their customer capacity and willingness to pay for products and services entrepreneurs,they are suffered from marketing problem. Promotion is another activity that entrepreneurs should undertake and there is a need to introduce of the production and the services is the ultimate customers which is still missing by the entrepreneurs. The natural resource potential and market demand by entrepreneurs are not so good and not bad. Due to information gap all entrepreneurs congested with the district. The natural resource potential are almost low. Entrepreneurs face some problems to raw matieral sale their products like, breakdown of the goods at the time of transportation, credit sale, low price etc Due to the lack of their own brand name they also face some difficulties in the markets. They can not compete with large industrial products, although their quality is high. They have also some problems to bring raw material from outside the district. The concept of advertisement was not introduced in the study area. The study reveals that there exist the positive change in the life of entrepreneurs after involving the micro enterprises development program from MEDEP. They were aware an entrepreneurship development. The change of occupation pattern wage labour to commercialization of micro-business is increasing. The trend of involving into direct income generating activities like micro-business are increasing significantly within deprived and ethnic groups