India is one of the largest global markets for the handicrafts sector, with exports crossing over INR 120 billion, in the year 2019 alone. Even in a fast-paced digitalized world, the demand for Indian Handicrafts hasn’t been shaken. However, the Indian Handicraft sector is struggling to weather the storm of COVID-19, since January 2020. The fate of Indian artisans is similar to that of migrant workers. And, managing day-to-day life has become more difficult than ever for the Indian artisan’s community.
With dwindling resources and a bleak future, Indian artisans are struggling on breadline to stifle these times. Nonetheless, the Indian artisan’s community is very resilient. They are slowly adapting to the new normal of working from their native homes – without trade fairs or melas. And, they are navigating their way to making inter-state sales over online platforms. Here’s how COVID-19 has struck the Indian Handicraft sector, and how the artisan community is fighting it back.
The damaged supply chain
Indian Handicrafts sector depends heavily on smooth supply chain structures. Because, raw materials are sourced from different places, production is carried out in bits and parts for a few handicraft items. And, finally, these products are pushed for sales. In the wake of the COVID-19 situation, this supply chain has been disrupted largely. The nation-wide lockdown has caused barriers to the supply of raw materials. And, artisans are struggling to make do with the leftover raw materials.
The production cycle of most of these raw materials is lengthy. And, that’s only making it hard for the artisan’s community. However, the silver lining is that artisans are slowly adapting to this situation, and finding new replacements for raw materials, making some of their own. The goal is to not stop producing. Although there is no active market for Indian Handicraft products at the time, the artisan’s community is hopeful that it’ll rise back again soon. And, they want to be ready with all they’ve got by that time.
No exhibitions or trade fairs
The inter-state travel ban and nationwide lockdowns have posed a complete shutdown on trade fairs and exhibitions. Coping with the losses of canceled tickets and bookings is one thing. While being uncertain on when things are going to get back on track is another. Some artisans have totally put a halt on their businesses and are waiting for the COVID storm to pass.
While some others are quick to adapt. Instead of lamenting over their broken fate, they’re changing what they produce. They are trying to make day-to-day items of functional use in an artistic manner and selling them using online portals. Akkaara is one such platform that sells Indian Handicrafts products with its new avatar, where most of the online handicrafts items are of functional use.
New products for the COVID world
While the artisan community, like many other communities, is waiting for the storm to pass, they’re showing their sheer resilience by making new products for the covid struck the world. The hands that weaved, and did embroidery are making beautiful masks, gloves and more, to support a COVID hit the world.
As a responsible community, supporting the government’s ‘Atma Nirbharta’ initiative, we can extend our best support to these communities. So, we can purchase their products online to help create sustainable livelihoods for the artisan’s community.
