We aim at improving business performance of Community Based Enterprises(CBE) and thereby ensuring the sustainability of the disadvantaged artisans and farmers they work with.
CBS works with agencies that are involved in business activities with a development mission. CBE's find it difficult to compete in the market because of many inherent weaknesses; that are related to knowledge about markets, planning, design, strategy, process, etc.
These agencies seek to organise business with disadvantaged communities. Our intervention with these agencies is for improving their business performance building their organisational capacities and help in accessing markets. We believe that by supporting the sustainability and growth of
these businesses we help make the lives of disadvantaged people sustainable.
CBS operates as a one-stop consultancy, offering high quality services in areas of business management to its clients. These services cover specialist areas like Marketing and Sales, Finance, Production, Operations,General Management, etc.
We work in various sectors ranging from Handicrafts, Textiles, Processed foods to Agricultural produce :Organic and Conventional ,and etc.
In the post-independence era, Indian industry was dominated by PSUs as private resources were scarce. It also led to formation of large number of SSIs (Small scale industries) which formed bulk of ancillary industries. These SSI had both types of ownership private (SME) and community (CBE).
SMEs and CBEs have played an increasing role in providing employment, alleviating poverty, and supplying essential goods and services that people need. However recent studies (including a recent baseline study of pro-poor SMEs in Western India) have indicated that many are held back in their aim to grow, and so benefit their communities, by lack of business skills and problems over accessing markets.
By providing Business Development Services to SMEs & CBEs and thereby increasing their productivity, it is possible to increase income, increase employment opportunities and enable sustainable livelihood options for the poor.
IRFT operates a BDS centre at Hyderabad to cater to the needs of Eastern and Southern states.
