The Street Food Project Kolkata was a joint initiative between 2011-2013 to support 650 street food vendors in Kolkata. It was implemented by Joygopalpur Gram Vikash Kendra, Ganauuayan Parshad, and InnoAid and aimed to develop solutions designed by the vendors to meet their needs. The project conducted participatory workshops covering accounting practices, food safety and hygiene, and national street vending policies. Baseline surveys found most vendors have been in business less than 10 years, provide livelihoods for thousands, and face challenges like extortion and lack of infrastructure. Solutions developed include educational materials, a prototype food kiosk, and strengthening vendor cooperation.

1. Street Food Project Kolkata
STREET FOOD PROJECT
A JOINT INITIATIVE BY
JOYGOPALPUR GRAM VIKASH KENDRA, GANAUUAYAN PARSHAD, INNOAID

2. Street Food Project Kolkata
Involve me in
designing the
beautification
process!
Innovative initiatives for improved street food vending

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Street Food Vendors Project Kolkata, Phase I (from 2011 to 2013)
The Street Food Vendors Project Kolkata was implemented in Kolkata
With the joint effort by JGVK, GUP and SS
The project was supported by InnoAid.org
The project aims at
supporting the vendors and
facilitate the development of
solutions designed by the
vendors themselves, which
meet local priorities, needs
and conditions in alignment
with the National Policy on
Urban Street Vendors.
The primary
beneficiaries throughout
the project are 650 street
food vendors along the
streets of Kolkata and
Salt Lake Sector V

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Program was based on 3 interlinked workshops and on-the-street support
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Improved accounting practices
and other self-regulatory activities
Hygienic practices on the food
handling, food safety and waste
management
Awareness of National Act on
Urban Street Vending
Continuous follow-up and support
on the streets
1 2
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Our approach: Let us inspire by the good solutions developed by the
street food vendors themselves
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Our approach: Involving food vendors in participatory workshops, using
innovative methods to understand, build capacity and evaluate
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Educational topics was discussed in small
groups of 10 vendors.
3 separate workshops were conducted to deliver
key-messages on National Policy, Understand benefits
of Self Help Groups, Improve accounting practices,
Improve the workspace: sanitation, waste & hygiene &
food safety
OPENGROUPDISCUSSSION
Inclusive method used to obtain critical
feedback from the vendors by assessing the
workshops
KEEPADDDROP

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a Tasty
Change!
!dea
Other tools and solutions were developed with the vendors
and by the vendors

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Co-creating Educational communication material:
Vendors’ Handbook, Stakeholder Toolkit and Poster

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A prototype food kiosk was developed with the vendors and other relevant
stakeholders
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Baseline survey was undertaken in the selected areas
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759 street food vendors were
surveyed with technical support
from School of Economics,
Bocconi University, Italy and
European Centre for Advanced
Research in Economics and
Statistics, Brussels.

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Baseline reveals:
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• 63% of the vendors found Bengali is the primary communication
mode of communication
• 20% of women vendors(175) are less educated than their male
vendors(639) colleagues
• 67% of the vendors are sustained solely by one income and that
is business in the street food
• More than 700 vendors provide livelihood for 2500+ people and
business is primarily family based
• Majority of business started less than 10 years ago by these
entrepreneurs of all ages

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Baseline reveals:
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•Two third(69%) of businesses offer food cooked at the kiosk
• A large proportion of vendors reports no union affiliation, likely
because of non- central location
• 69% of the vendors attend workshop to ensure their business
• 54% ranked extortion as the key challenge
• 14% ranked access to infrastructural facilities such as water
supply, electricity and toilets
•18% believe that the best solutions will come from strengthening
the corporation and street unity

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Street Food Project Kolkata
Email: streetfoodhawkersproject2@gmail.com