Economic impact on weavers of Rampar self help group
In the year, 2020-21, KVK Udalguri conducted a demonstration programe for women weaverson production and marketing of handloom productswith the objectives to standardization of products, increase knowledge for better marketability and to increase income of the weavers. As a part of the demonstration, KVK Udalguri organized a training program for the members of the Rampar Self Help Group besides supplying inputs like different types of natural yarn
etc. as shown in Fig 1 where it shows that more than 15 weavers were enthusiastically took part in the training programmes along with proper demonstrations (Fig 2) for producing ideal products for standardization and marketing of products like Gamosa
etc.
Prior to the interventions, the weavers struggled to fetch fair prices for their handloom products.It can be observed from Table 1 that before intervention of the KVK, during 2019-20, the weavers were having the gross return and net return of ₹ 1478920.00 and ₹ 522697.00 respectively with gross cost of ₹ 956223.00. But after intervention, it increases with 165.74 as percentage change over net return with the gross return and net return of ₹ 3556000.00 and ₹ 1389050.00 respectively with gross cost of ₹ 2166950.00. These may be due to the fact that the KVK provided guidance on modern marketing techniques, helping the weavers understand the current market trends and demands. These interventions proved instrumental in improving the overall product quality, increasing productivity, reducing time and effort and enhancing the marketability of their handloom products.
Moreover, one significant intervention by KVK Udalguri was facilitating the process for obtaining handloom mark labels for the Rampar Self Help Group. These labels are awarded to handloom products that adhere to quality standards and authenticity requirements. The handloom mark labels serve as a seal of approval, assuring customers of the product’s genuineness and traditional craftsmanship. The attainment of handloom mark labels boosted the confidence of the weavers and instilled a sense of pride in their work. It also opened doors to a wider market, as discerning customers seek out products with such certification.The annual turnover of the Rampar Self Help Group now ranges between ₹ 13.00 to ₹ 15.00 lakhs, which is a substantial improvement from their earlier earnings with collective team efforts. The earnings of weavers under the cooperative society were also almost like the merchant weavers
(Devi, 2012). It was reported in a study that participation of nearly 89% of women weavers in the self–help group not only increased their monthly income and production in handloom products but also improved their standard of living
(Baishya, 2019).
Types of diversified products produced by Rampar self help group
With the support and interventions provided by KVK Udalguri, the Rampar Self Help Group has witnessed significant improvements in their handloom business. They have mastered the art of creating standardized handloom products, experimenting with unique designs while incorporating traditional motifs. This creative freedom has allowed them to diversify their product range and cater to the evolving preferences of their customers. At present, they are involved in making twenty different types of standardized products (Table 2) like Gamosha, Mekhela Chadar, Dinning mat with runner, hand bags, sarees
etc. both in
Assamese and
Rabha design as shown in Fig 3.
The Rampar Self Help Group has also adopted sustainable practices, such as using natural fabrics and dyes. By utilizing locally available resources, they have not only ensured the longevity of the fabric but also contribute to environmental conservation. The weavers take pride in their ability to create handloom products that are eco-friendly and socially responsible.The interventions by KVK Udalguri have yielded significant positive outcomes for the weavers of the Rampar Self Help Group. Their hard work, coupled with the support and guidance provided has resulted in improved product quality, increased productivity, reduced time and effort and higher earnings.
Problems faced by weavers of Rampar self help group
In this study, we looked at a variety of obstacles that handloom weavers are facing. These obstacles are the result of how they see others around them as well as many institutional and psychological restraints that are a part of society. All the identified constraints were categorized into two groups
i.e personal and socioeconomic constraints. The respondents were given these constraints to rate them on a five-point continuum from very severe, quite severe, severe, not so severe and least severe. The collected details were analyzed using the Garrett’s ranking technique.
The Garrett’s ranking technique was employed to find out and rank the major constraints faced by the weavers. It provides the change of orders of constraints into numerical scores. The prime advantage of this technique over simple frequency distribution is that the constraints are arranged based on their importance from the point of view of respondents. Hence the same number of respondents on two or more constraints may have been given different rank. Garrett’s formula for converting ranks into per cent was given by,
Where,
Rij = Rank given for the ith factor by the jth respondent.
Nj = Number of factors ranked by the jth respondent.
The per cent position of each rank was then converted into scores by using Garrett table given by
Garrett and Woodswordh (1969). For each factor, the scores of individual respondents were added together and divided by the total number of the respondents for whom scores were added. These mean scores for all the factors were arranged in descending order, ranks were given and most important factors were identified.
Personal problems
Here, in this study, different personal problems that have been faced by the weavers were identified and from Table 3, it was observed that problem like improper time management was ranked I with Garrett Score 74.25 followed by restricted mobility (rank II, Garrett Score 71.67). Similarly, low level of education and unsupportive family were ranked III and IV with Garrett Score of 64.45 and 62.59 respectively. Further, it was also found that Low confidence, Health issues and Fear of Failure were some of the personal problems that were faced by the weavers of Rampar Self Help Group which ranked V, VI and VI with Garrett Score of 57.65, 49.00 and 45.45 respectively.
Socio economic problems
The economic problems are the problems that relate to societal financial and organizational problems arise in running a business. Here, in this study, different socio economic problems that might have been faced by the handloom weavers were mentioned and ranked accordingly. As revealed in Table 3, it is understood that High/rising input price was the most severe problem faced by the weavers of the SHG with the Garrett score of 69.21 followed by exploitation by intermediaries and labour shortage which were ranked II and III having score of 54.33 and 45.54 respectively. It was further disclosed that scarcity of raw materials, poor infrastructure and competition with power loom products were some of the socio economic problems faced by them with the ranking of IV, V and VI with score of 43.67, 40.00 and 38.96 respectively. These findings are in line with the findings of
Hujuri (2023).
