Water Hyacinth Craft: Promoting Rural Livelihoods
Water hyacinth (Scientific
name: Eichorniacrassipes;
Local name: Meteka) is considered as
the most productive plant on earth, as
it yields more than 200 tons of dry
matter per hectare per year under normal
conditions. On water containing high
concentrations of sewage, it yields up to 657
tons of dry matter per hectare. In Assam, water
hyacinth is seen in abundance in almost every
river body of the state, right from big lakes to
household ponds in villages. For a long time, the
aquatic plant was considered only as a waste and was
either cleared up or left unused.
“The plant is far more productive than the crops that have been carefully cultivated by man under near-ide-
al conditions of fertilization, irrigation, and pest con-trol,” wrote John Bunton in an article which appeared in
Far Eastern Agriculture.
Water hyacinth
Water Hyacinth Craft: Promoting Rural
Livelihoods
Basically, Water hyacinth is considered as a weed & nuisance for:
It enhances water loss by 2.5 to 3 times due to evaporation.
Reduction of Bio-diversity: Other aquatic plants have difficulty in surviving.
Diversity of fish stocks is often affected from proliferation of water hyacinth.
Sediment level increases with increase of water
hyacinth.
Source of breeding ground for mosquitoes and other parasites.
indrance to water transport.
Its removal helps to conserve water and rejuvenate the environment.
Sustainable livelihood & Inclusive Growth in Rural Areas.
Raw Material is free and abundant.
Opportunity to earn as per the skill level of the artisan: Unskilled:- 15 paisa per piece of dry steam -Semi Skilled :- Braid & Rope : Rs. 2 to 3.5 per meter -Skilled: Finished Products with value from Rs. 40 in a coin purse to Rs.30,000/- in furniture set.
An ecofriendly product for the consumers.
Empowering women in rural India.
Need for Water Hyacinth Craft
Processing of Water Hyacinth to Water Hyacinth Craft
sizing by
cutting
cleaning the
surface
Surface decoration Knitting
Flatting (to smoothen the
rough edge)
Drying
To introduce water hyacinth craft as a source of sustainable livelihood in rural areas primarily targeting the women
beneficiaries for their economic empowerment. The project will focus on six blocks under six districts which are
listed as follows:
Kokrajhar
Pub Mangaldai
Dolongghat
Dhemaji
Majuli
Guijan
850 SHG members
Name of the Block 4
No of SHGmembers to be covered ( Approx)
Kokrajhar
Darrang
Nagaon
Dhemaji
Majuli
Tinsukia
Name of the District
Objective of the project
Formal and Structured training on making products of water hyacinth is a necessity in
promoting Water Hyacinth Craft into a Sustainable Livelihood option . In order to
enhance their skills andproductivity technical training and Capacity Building
Programmes have been designed specific to the requirement of the artisans on water
hyacinth craft:
Capacity Building
Sl No Type of Training No of Artisans to be covered
1
2
3
600
60
150
Skill DevelopmentProgramme at village level
Advanced Training at NEDFiR&D Centre, Khetri
Product Specific Reorientation Programme at
village level
A systematic approach to promoteWater Hyacinth Craft as a sustainable Livelihood
option, marketinglinkage has to be established and trackingof the growing needs of
customers is also to be kept in account. Thus, the following initiatives are to be
undertaken in realizing the goals of establishing a sustainable Market Linkage
Establishment of six Common Facility Centre in all the six targeted districts and make it sustainable in long run.
Issue of Artisan Card to the project beneficiaries.
Preparation of Catalogue, Website & Documentation for product marketing.
Organizing 18 nos. of local, regional, national level exhibitions to promote Water Hyacinth Craft in Assam.
Tie up with buyers & exporters for some selective products with large volume for which product specific training programmes will be undertaken under the capacity building component of the proj-ect. Tie up with vendors/ shops of nearby areas / locality.
Linkage with marketing organizations like NEHHDC, ARTFED as well as NEDFi showrooms and online marketing agencies.
Promoting Water Hyacinth Craft as a Sustainable Livelihood and Establishment of Market Linkages
Mentors
common facility centre
(raw material bank production facility
aggregation of semi finished and
finished products)
Local Sales
Artisans in
the rural areas
Implementation model
12 Days Skill development
programme of 25 artisans Total 600
beneficiaries.
products
products
pro
du
cts
pro
du
cts
ExhibitionSales OutletOrder ExecutionEcommerce
MARKET
2 Programmes on advance training
of 15 days eachat nedfi craft
incubation center total 60 artisans
7days of product specific training
total 150 artisans
Operational Time Line for Water Hyacinth Project
Project Period: 18.08.2017 to 17.08.2019 (Two years)
Conducting Basic Training Programme for ben-eficiaries (24 programes, 25 beneficiaries per batch, duration of each training programme 10 days per batch).
Issue of Artisan Card to the project beneficiaries
Sept-17 to Dec-171
Sept-17 to Dec-172
Procurement process of Tools &Equipments for CFCAccessories etc Dec-17 to Jan-184
Functioning of CFC - 6 nos. (1 each at selected intensive district)
Jan-185
Mobilisation of CFC Assistants Feb-18 to Aug-196
Selection and Mobilisation of Marketing Exec-utive & Mentor Dec-17 toAug-197
Selection of place and beneficiary for estab-lishment of Common Facility Center (CFC) Nov-173
Sl No Months Activity Details
Conducting Advanced Training Programme (2 porgrammes, 30 beneficiaries per batch, duration of each training programme 12 days per batch)
March-18 to April-189
18 nos. of Local, Regional, National Level Exhi-bitions: 6CFC @ 3 exhibition per CFC Dec-17 to Aug-1911
Conducting Product Specific Orientation Programme (6 programmes, 25 beneficiaries per batch, duration of each programme 6 days per batch)
May-18 to Aug-1810
Marketing Linkage Initiatives: 1) Tie up with buyers & exporters for some selective products with large volume; 2) Linkage with marketing organizations; 3) Online Marketing
Dec-17 to Aug-1912
Selection and Mobilisation of Mentors Dec-17 to Aug-198
Preparation of Catalogue, Website launch & Documentation
Dec-17 to March-1813
Sl No Activity Details Months
Assam state rural livelihoods missionpanchayat and rural development department, govt. of assamsiva nath gogoi path, panjabari roadguwahati, assam-781037
Phoneno: 0361-2330542/ website: https//asrlms.assam.gov.intoll free no: 18002008998/ Email: [email protected]