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Guwahati: A brainstorming session with the entrepreneurs of the handicraft sector was held on November 28 by the Northeastern Handicraft and Handloom Development Corporation (NEHHDC), a division of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). The purpose of the meeting was to give entrepreneurs in the handcraft industry a shared forum on which to discuss problems they may be facing. Also, there was a strategy in place to advance the handicraft industry and bring forth its growth.
According to Dr. Sriparna Bhuyan, Advisor (Entrepreneurship and Livelihoods), NEHHDC, the session was designed to provide the entrepreneurs in the area who are involved with the handicrafts and handloom industry a dynamic platform.
About 80% of participants, she stated, were women. They were eager to learn about the challenges, faced by an entrepreneur.
It may more accurately be described as a brainstorming session than a training session, she continues.
Out of the 22 entrepreneurs present at the session, several were involved in the production of crafts and products from water hyacinth, wood, clay, fusion art, sustainability, and leftover materials.
During the session, several entrepreneurs highlighted the issues and challenges, both in terms of access to market and supply chain.
The following were some of the typical difficulties they encountered:
According to Dr. Bhuyan, it may be noted that fulfilling orders is more of a challenge for entrepreneurs than doing so.
It is a certain that they require the NEHHDC's considerable assistance. They also urged design assistance for creating a prototype, technical assistance for maintaining quality and productivity, the establishment of a raw material bank that could include water hyacinth, cane and bamboo that has already been processed, sital pati, and various commonly used accessories required to create handicraft products.
In a subsequent conversation, Dr. Sriparna informed Business Northeast (BNE) that the entrepreneurs had recommended the establishment of finishing workstations and the support of sustainable packaging solutions. They had also stated a need for organisational help to deal with challenges related to the goods and services tax, access to the export market, handholding support, and a programme for networking, cross-collaboration, and mutual learning.
Further, NEHHDC suggests that in December alone, it will develop strategies for growing the handicraft industry by engaging in more frequent conversations with business owners.
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