CCD has been committed to facilitate a process of developing the local resource base, building on the traditional knowledge and skills, and improving the community access to mainstream resources. Since its inception CCD wanted to build community capacity so that the communities not only have greater control over their lives but also over the environment surrounding their lives. The organisation believes that only then one can contribute towards the process of sustainable development. CCD has achieved this by utilizing the Local Resources and Traditional Skills (LRTS) of the community and promoting Community Based Organisations (CBO).

For the last nineteen years CCD has been working on this goal through various initiatives and programmes. The organisation has conceptualized, created and managed socioeconomic ventures helping the local communities. Over the years the organisation has managed to create replicable models that can be used in similar situations across the country. Many of the programmes and initiatives have been successfully turned into business ventures catering to the welfare and development of local communities.

CCD's core strength is in creating models of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in a self sustainable manner by reviving the indigenous savings, mobilisation and credit management methods. Once these were structured and stabilised, mainstream linkages were established with both government and allied institutions. Among these CBOs, an inventory was conducted to record individual based micro enterprises, family based hereditary occupational groups and government sponsored income generation activities. All these were then graduated as Community Based Enterprises (CBEs). These CBEs had their roots in local resources and traditional skills.

The intention was to capitalise the market potential within the producer group; essentially turning the producer also into a consumer. This decision was made based on the insight that a business model cannot be sustained without considering scale, volume and market implications. The primary focus of CCD is revival of traditional system and every measure taken thus far has been towards that goal. To take it further, this year onwards the focus will also be on capacity building. We aim to conduct various skill building programmes in specific areas and vocational training through Community Based Institutions (CBIs). The hope is that this in turn will augment the growth of Community Based Enterprises (CBEs) in the long run. At the heart of creation of these enterprises is the dream that they will be the means of sustainable livelihood based on traditional practices for the local communities.

In the next step CCD will concentrate on brand Building of the CBOs, CBEs and CBIs. Each of the geographical areas that we work either directly or through the CBOs and CBEs has been identified for specific business opportunity; Sevaiyur for Medicinal plants, Natham for NonTimberForest produce (NTFP), Sooranam for condiments, Madurai for Fruits and Vegetables, Poompuhar for Paddy and Pulses and Kanyakumari for shell, palm leaf and natural fibre based craft.

Microfinance activity has been the crucial link for all the other initiatives taken up by CCD so far. It was started with the belief that savings can be used as a tool to spearhead a social mobilisation. This belief has been elementary for the functioning of the organisation. Various business initiatives have been spun off over the years as a result of this mobilisation. The strategy is that through these initiatives, the communities can

a) Have access to credit, both mutual and external
b) Build skills (traditional and new innovations)
c) Inculcate entrepreneurial skills among the communities
d) Acquire technical knowledge to innovate on products and create value chain
e) Create a communication system that would act as a channel to disseminate the knowledge acquired
f) Have better market access