Livestock through Islamic
Microfinance
By
Farhat Abbas Shah
May
30, 2011: According to the observation, mostly, at Islamic
Microfinance Sector level, it is being practiced with the
conventional structures. If there is any will to do can feel
for Islamic Microfinance, the lake of proper systems and
unavailability of skilled staff are the hurdles.
In Pakistan a few Islamic banks are studying Islamic
Microfinance models to chalk out a proper one. However none
of them found the key solution yet. SBP’s Institutional
development fund is an attraction for the institutions, but
the people sitting in the committee are preferring only the
institutions already have a visible scale. According to the
vision of the committee members the institutional
development fund is not for the organizations which are not
already developed with a handsome portfolio, while the
Islamic Microfinance means no commercial funding, no
capacity building no MIS and no product development support.
In Pakistan a few development organizations like Islamic
Relief, and Muslim Aid are doing Islamic Microfinance by
maintaining their other projects. A charity Based
Microfinance Institution has a tremendous Qarz e Hasna,
portfolio, but being a non commercial organization for
donors the experts are not ready to accept it as a
sustainable model, while the past proves it more sustainable
than many other Microfinance institutes, which demonstrated
worst in spite of having all the popular microfinance
controls and risk mitigating systems and procedures.
The success of any business depends upon the proper Products
fundamentally, while the conventional microfinance products
showed only 3% impact according to the CGAP study. It is
obvious that the products sold through microfinance were not
appropriate to alleviate poverty. The reason I found behind
the failure was an incapable human resource and the lake of
true visionary leadership.
According to the current poverty alleviation scenario, we
would have to appreciate CGAPs efforts for identifying
Islamic Microfinance for not only the Muslim poor but to
gain noticeable positive impact at a larger market.
During a survey for spotting a Farz SME Village in District
Jhang, which is an untapped area of Punjab province, and one
cannot find any perceptible engagement from NGOs, because of
(perhaps) being a sectarian violence affected area. However,
Farz Foundation has started its operations in two rural
areas of the District Jhang. During research work, Farz
Foundation found the area very potent to launch their
traditional products of livestock after a pretty
customization and aligning the products with a formal
Islamic Microfinance mechanism (Farz Methodology). At the
second stage of the study, the survey and the focus group
discussions revealed that the products of goats and sheep
are more feasible than buffalos and cows at the first phase.
Study also shows that only the customization of the system
is required with a capable human resource having a strong
interpersonal relationship ability with the traditional and
cultural familiarity to build a strong social and business
relationship with the client. And a huge untapped ripe
market is awaiting because the 65% economy of Pakistan is
based on agriculture and out of it almost 52% economy is
based on livestock.
According to a Gilani Research Foundation survey carried out
by Gallup Pakistan, meat is the most essential food item in
people’s daily diet. In a survey in October 2008,
respondents were also asked to list what they would like as
the main component of their daily diet. Assuming that
Financial constraints were removed and price was kept
constant the results revealed: 52% would prefer meat. While
the products are needed and marketable at the international
level undoubtedly. The markets of UAE and Europe can be
quoted as the potential meat markets for Pakistan.
Community is expert in nurturing and nourishing the
livestock from centuries to maintain their living. They know
every sophisticated detail about the animal and also very
found of having them as their assets. Livestock has been
considered here as a social status also and one can measure
the economic level of a family or a person by assessing the
volume of the livestock he or she has. There is a very
common practice among the rural poor community to get the
livestock from a well-off land lord on 33% partnership or
sometimes at 50% for a breed period or a period of maturity
of the animals for meat purpose. The livestock for meat
purposes has an extraordinary perspective on Eid e Qurban
along with the daily consumption of the meat in the country.
According to economic survey of Pakistan 2005 and 2005,
1.9000 metric tan meat being consumed only in Pakistan.
Mostly rural poor feed the live stock by getting them to the
jungles and green fields. Where the animals get the grass
and various other stuff to eat. They give animals also the
special food called Wanda.
The poor stock the animals for their hard days and also to
fulfill their immediate needs like accidents, weddings or in
case of a death in their family. They usually sell the
animal and accomplish the necessity.
Studies predict the livestock is not only an ongoing
consumable item and a very successful business but a social
welfare work and a noble cause also as a poverty alleviating
tool. According to the financial analysis of the business by
Farz Foundation, it gives 500% profit to the investor during
a project of three to five-year period and is 1000%
profitable for the poor. The economy of a country could be
run and poverty could be eliminated only by the livestock
business if done properly. Any how the microfinance or even
banking with conventional structures believing in monthly or
fortnightly recoveries with interest or profit may not be
able to do this kind of business. Primarily, Farz Foundation
aims to disseminate the information and to invite the social
investors to step in, particularly the people want to do the
Halal investments. If Islamic microfinance organizations
engage themselves only in livestock business, they can show
the tremendous results. Secondly, Farz Foundation offers a
partnership opportunity at all investors. Donors and
philanthropists level to come and join hands with Farz
Foundation in this regard.
Courtesy: Microfinance Focus