1. CONTEXT: CIFSRF PROJECT REVALORIZING SMALL
MILLETS IN RAINFED REGIONS IN SOUTH ASIA
(RESMISA)
 The CIFSRF project, Revalorizing Small Millets in Rainfed Regions
in South Asia, led by CMU & DHAN Foundation, aims to increase
production, distribution, access, and daily consumption of small
millets and pulses seeds in rainfed regions of India, Nepal and Sri
Lanka.
 As a part of two key objectives: To enhance the consumption and
social status of small millets and to advocate for a policy
environment that provides a level playing field for production and
consumption of small millets.
 This study is an attempt to explore this gap: understand street food
chain, their products, clients, problems and constraints and
opportunities

2. URBAN FOOD INSECURITY
 Urban residents spend 30% more of their income than
their rural counterparts to meet their daily caloric
intake.
 The percentage of population consuming less than
1890 calories per day was 13.90% in urban regions
against 13.20% in the rural areas in 2004–05
(NSSO, 2007).

3. THE INFORMAL SECTOR AND STREET
FOOD VENDING IN INDIA
 One of the two largest informal sector sub-groups.
(Chan, 2010).
 Street food vendors have shown their resilience in
the face of both economic downturn and economic
boom (FAO, 2007)
 91% of women in the non-agricultural labour force
were in the Informal Economy (Hill, 2010)
 Street Food is an essential component of the urban
poor’s diet and provides livelihoods for the urban
poor and thus an appropriate avenue for food
security interventions.

4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 Research was conducted with four overlapping
objectives:
 (i)To understand the role of street vendors for
enhancing consumption of nutritious RTE food
among poor (including millet porridge)
 (ii) To understand the socioeconomic profile of
street food vendors
 (iii) To understand the socio-economic profile of
street food consumers and their preferences for
food quality, nutrition, and hygiene
 (iv) To explore rural and urban linkages between
rural peasants and the informal food sector
employing urban poor.

5. METHODOLOGY
 Mixed-Method
Approach
 Qualitative and
Quantitative data
collected
Methods
• Exploratory research: semi-standardized interviews,
participant observations, consultation with experts.
• Vendor Focus Group discussion
• Health and Safety observations
• Consumer Surveys
• Mapping Exercise

6. FIELD SITE: MADURAI, TN, INDIA

7. 1. Porridge push cart
• Mobile structure
• Pearl or Finger millet
porridge
• Limited diversity of food
2. Non-porridge pushcart
• Mobile structure
• Ready to eat cooked items
besides porridge

8. 4. Small Scale Restaurant
• Permanent structure
• Larger scale of business
3. Hawker
• Limited to no
infrastructure
• Predominantly women

9. Legend:
1. Porridge Vendor (dark blue) 3. Hawker (green)
2. Non-Porridge Pushcart (red) 4. Small Scale Restaurant (light blue)
Vendor Locations in Madurai

10. DIVERSITY OF
PRODUCTS
 Over 20 types of rice,
wheat or millet based
ready to eat products
Top 10 Main Dishes (Primary)
Idli
Pearl Millet Porridge
Dhosai
Ragi Millet Porridge
Pongol
Poori
Variety Rice
Parotta
Chapati
Aappum
Ragi Millet Porridge

11. CLASSIFICATION OF VENDORS BY GENDER
Gendered Ownership/Management of Vendors
Sole Female Led Enterprise Husband & Wife
Team
Sole Male Led Enterprise
With no
support
Female
support
only
Some
support
from male
Support from
female
family
member (not
wife)
Male with no
female
support
12 8 5 58 6 1
13% 9% 6% 64% 7% 1%

12. WOMEN IN THE STREET VENDING SECTOR:
SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE
 91% of solo female led enterprises had less than grade 10
education and 75% were illiterate
 The category of vendors with the lowest economic status
over all were hawkers, which were 80% women
o More commonly driven
by severe financial
need; widowed or
separated, family
medical needs,
husband was injured or
substance abuse
issues.

13. PAID VS. UNPAID WORKERS
Total N=137
Gender of Worker
Male Female
unpaid worker 41 72
paid employee 18 6
Total 137 59 78

14. COMPARISON OF BUSINESS ACROSS
CLASSIFICATIONS
Female Led Male Led Husband-Wife
Team
Other source of
income?
47.8% 28% 25%
Average number of
customers per day
48 59 95
Percentage of repeat
customers
Majority low
(0-20%)
Majority low (0-
20%)
Majority high
(41-60%)

15. DISADVANTAGES WHEN IN THE STREET
VENDING BUSINESS
 Less diversity of product
not due to knowledge but
capacity to expand
 More hours spent at
home and behind the
scenes
 Dangerous or painful
preparation
 Lack of support from
NGO’s or government

16. BRIBES AND HARASSMENT
• 45% of female led enterprises reported being harassed
and asked to relocate within the last year as compared to
28% of male led enterprises.
• Often blamed on ‘traffic congestion’

17. CONSUMER SURVEY DATA
Av.
Primary
Income
(Rs/month
)
Average Spending at
Street Food Vendors
Socioeconomic
Class
N Rs/month
As % of
income
poor 66 8090 246 3.0%
lower middle
class
80 16406 319 1.9%
upper middle
class
22 23181 268 1.2%
Total 168 14026 283 2.0%

18. PROTECTION OF LIVELIHOODS AND REGULATION
OF STREET VENDING ACT 2014
 Important first step in recognizing street vendors contribution
to the economy
• Chapter V11
states one-third
of members
within the town
vending
committee must
be women.

19. SPECIAL THANKS
 Development for Humane Action Foundation (DHAN)
 International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
 Menno Simons College/ Canadian Mennonite University
 University of Alberta