The project focuses on establishing a robust certification system through research and direct interventions called ‘Craftmark Green’, which will cater to producers, buyers, consumers, and the crafts industry as a whole.

The project focuses on establishing a robust certification system through research and direct interventions called ‘Craftmark Green’, which will cater to producers, buyers, consumers, and the crafts industry as a whole.

Developing Craftmark Green has completed its two years of intervention. Funded by RBS, AIACA has met its targets under each milestone; Research and documentation, identifying the potential clusters, cluster assessment under the green indicators, identifying and strategising green applications and interventions, partnering with local facilitating organisations, technical and knowledge experts.

Some of the key objectives:

  1. Strengthening and application of a Green Standard denoting the handicrafts sector as ‘green’ or environmental friendly, which conscious markets will adopt
  2. Capacity building of target handicrafts and handloom enterprises in adopting and sustaining green production, technology and business, oriented to market requirements
  3. Promotion and branding of environment-friendly production practices and products of the target enterprises for gaining more significant market share
  4. Facilitating access to finance and handholding the target enterprises to apply and receive funds for green technology setup, green product development, branding and other business development services in the longer run
  5. Setting up a National Resource Facility Network (NRFN)- a pool of knowledge and technical experts or organisations and functional for environment-friendly business support services through multi-stakeholder
    partnerships.

Some of the key pilot interventions have been in water conservation, effluent treatment, safe water disposal and cleaner & efficient use of energy.

The project has impacted the states of Rajasthan and Odisha through direct interventions in 8-10 villages with green technologies of Rooftop rainwater harvesting for leather and textile clusters in Rajasthan and that of alternate rat trap furnaces in Dhokra clusters of Odisha.

AIACA partnered with the CSR initiative of Nabha Power Limited is working on issues for socio-economic upliftment in 49 villages at Rajpura, Punjab. As a technical resource agency, AIACA undertook a scoping study in NPL project areas, focusing on artisan skilling and enterprise support. The study’s basic premise is to undertake a technical feasibility assessment for these areas because fostering craft-based livelihoods is a strategic way of building sustainable livelihood options, especially for women, and opens up the conversation around other developmental issues within these communities.

The key objectives were:

  1. To evaluate and understand the existing individual/enterprise initiatives that are craft-based, current products that are developed, market readiness of the products and current skills of the artisans.
  2. Identify and prioritise the crafts to be taken forward for development. Analyse feasibility and build a self-reliant and sustainable ecosystem for the identified craft cluster/s and help them scale up the business.
  3. Identify gaps and challenges in the production and sales/marketing cycle.