It is proved that
these traditional industries can boost up their competitiveness
through networking and this process is easier and more sustainable if they
work very closely with one another in cluster. Also they can build their
competitive strength through cost reduction, value chain up-gradation and
utilization of collective economies of scale when they cooperate each other and
build linkage with private or and public service providers. The application of
cluster approach has given very good results and sustainable development of
traditional industries.
In our handicraft
operational area, due to improper inputs and intervention, the artisans are not getting
actual market and output of their involvement because they are doing it as a
trend of compulsion not like profession following traditional method only, no
proper finishing of their products to compete in the market, low production due
to manual practice, leading them towards other works escaping such potential
skill. As the people are needy and poor they feel much comfortable involving daily
wages earning, which at least fill their daily bailey need although they are
having talent/skill to produce handicraft products. The numbers of artisans
have been decreasing comparing to earlier stage. The educated and uneducated
youth community although involved, it because of unemployment but
intention of them we always found is poor.
The Handicraft communities of our
operation area prevail on all range of age group from below twenty years to
above sixty years. Traditionally practiced, home based could be the causes
for inclusive of workers to all range of age group. Among the workers, a little
less than two third (65.1%) of the workers fall between twenty to forty years
of age group. During the period of age, the health and other aspects could
support the respondent in practicing the occupation. Hence, the
maximum number of artisans present in the particular age group. There is a
significance relationship between age and work experience of the respondents.
Hence, it could be concluded that higher the age of the respondents has higher
work experience. Most of the families are nuclear. Very rarely we
may find the joint family. Less than two third (64%) of them earns Rs.1000 to
Rs.5000 per month. This population may have only couples or individual, hence
they could not earn more than Rs.5000. But,
exactly one fifth of the population earns Rs.5000 to Rs.10000 as
family income for one month. Very few earn more than Rs.10000 (5.8%).
Those families earn more than Rs.5000, could have more number of illiterate,
hence possibly all could involve in the same occupation. As a result their
income ranges higher than others; they may not live quality life with the
income they earn as family for one month. If the family adopts modern value
added skill on bamboo handicraft, they would earn sufficient money and also
there is no significant difference in means of monthly family income across the
different age groups of artisans.
With the hope to unite the artisans through integrated and participatory
approach, PARYAY always trying to play a facilitator role with zeal and
focusing to promote leather & bamboo craft as basic initiative along with
other craft like honey production & development of SSI by way of providing
network with different development institutes like DC (Handicraft) & KVIC,
Govt. of India, DIC and concerned, etc & need based training at
artisan’s door also awareness time to time building their ability to adopt new
method to compete professional way near future in national even international
market platform confidently producing quality finish and marketable handicraft
products utilizing natural local resources towards sustainable livelihood and
employment.
