A Study on the role of Handicrafts in promoting Sustainable

Livelihood among Tribal Community at Wayanad

Dissertation submitted to
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University
Amritapuri Campus, Kollam, India in partial fulfillment of the
Requirement for the award of Master of Social Work

HARIKRISHNAN.U
AM.SW.P2MSW10005

Department of Social Work

AMRITA VISHWA VIDYAPEETHAM UNIVERSITY
Amritapuri Campus– 690 525
2010 – 2012
A Study on the role of Handicrafts in promoting Sustainable
Livelihood among Tribal Community at Wayanad

Dissertation submitted to
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University
Amritapuri Campus, Kollam, India in partial fulfillment of the
Requirement for the award of Master of Social Work

HARIKRISHNAN.U
AM.SW.P2MSW10005

Department of Social Work

AMRITA VISHWA VIDYAPEETHAM UNIVERSITY
Amritapuri Campus– 690 525
2010 – 2012
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr. Harikrishnan.U, final year MSW student in

the Department of Social Work, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
University, Amritapuri, is a candidate for the award of Masters in Social
Work degree.

The dissertation entitled “A study on the role of handicrafts in promoting

sustainable livelihood among tribal community at Wayanad”, submitted
by him in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award is a record
of the candidate’s personal efforts carried out under my guidance and
has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree or
diploma to the candidate.

Date: 07/05/2012
Mrs. SURYA KRISHNA
Lecturer
Department of Social Work
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University
Amritapuri
 ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATE

The dissertation entitled “A study on the role of handicrafts in promoting

sustainable livelihood among tribal community at Wayanad”, submitted
by Mr. Harikrishnan.U under the guidance and supervision of
Mrs.Suryakrishna is recommended for evaluation to the university.

Mrs.Suryakrishna
Lecturer
Department of Social Work
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University
Amritapuri Campus
Clappana P.O.
Kollam Kerala – 690 525
…………………………………………………………………………...........

The dissertation work entitled “A study on the role of handicrafts in

promoting sustainable livelihood among tribal community at Wayanad”,
submitted by Mr. Harikrishnan.U conducted under the guidance and
supervision of Mrs. Suryakrishna was evaluated by the examiners
undersigned.

Date of Examination:
Name :
Signature :
(Internal Examiner) Designation & Address
Name :
Signature :
(External Examiner) Designation & Address
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the thesis entitled, “A study on the role of handicrafts in
promoting sustainable livelihood among tribal community at Wayanad” is
prepared by me under the guidance of Mrs. Suryakrishna, Faculty,
Department of Social Work, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Amritapuri
and has not formed the basis for the award of any Degree or Diploma to me
previously.

This dissertation is being submitted for the award of Masters Degree in Social
Work.

Date: 07/05/2012
(Signature of the candidate)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

With great pleasure, I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to all
those have extended their timely support and valuable assistance for the
fulfillment of this work. Firstly; I owe my deep gratitude to God, the source of my
inspiration and existence.

I would like to thank my beloved teacher and guide, Mrs. Suryakrishna,

Faculty, Department of Social Work and other department, Amrita Vishwa
Vidyapeetham guiding me to work on this interesting topic. I also thank all the
faculty members of Social Work department and other department for the
support that gave me throughout my study. I sincerely thank the NGOs like
URAVU, SWAMI VIVEKANANDA MEDICAL MISSION, AMRID are working
among the tribal community at Wayanad. I sincerely thank all the Tribal artisans
who are my respondents for giving adequate and fair data and their cooperation
also.

I extent my heartfelt gratitude to my parents, friends and who have supported

me and encouraged me to complete this work.

Harikrishnan.U
 CONTENTS

CHAPTER No. CHAPTER PAGE No.

1 Introduction 1

2 Review of literature 8

3 Methodology 26

4 Data Analysis 33

5 Findings and discussion 73

6 Conclusion 81

7 References 82

8 Photos 89

9 Appendices 91
 ABSTRACT

This study analyzes the role of Handicrafts in promoting Sustainable Livelihood

among Tribal Community. This is a study conducted among the Tribal
community at Wayanad district. It tries to follow four important research
questions, firstly it attempt to assess the livelihood options for the tribal
handicrafts at Wayanad. Secondly it examines the existing status of handicrafts
in markets. Thirdly it tries to examine the source of raw materials and the extent
of sustainability of handicrafts based on these resources. Fourthly it examines
the support provided by the local NGO’s/Govt program/Financial institutions to
the artisans.

The findings of the study help to understand the existing status of tribal artisans
in the making of handicrafts. Some of the tribal artisans are attain the livelihood.
All these practices and strategies are always linked with some cultural factors.
The handicrafts are related to cultural factors because they are hereditary in
nature. This study also helps to understand some factors which affect the tribal
artisans and the artisans will went to another job due to the fewer wage.

The existing practices of handicrafts are due to the scarcity of raw materials and
less demand due to the plastic made materials. There are few NGOs and
government institutions are working in the field of handicrafts. The people who
are working individually do not know about the opportunities and programs
related to the development of the handicrafts. There are some cultural factors
like values, beliefs, norms, customs and traditions which determine the existing
handicrafts sector. The major problem in the handicraft sector is in rainy season
the marketing situation of the handicrafts is down.

Tribal handicrafts can be studied based on things like marketing support, raw
materials, skill development and training, constraints, marketing demand
working hours and technological factors. The existing condition of handicrafts
can be analyzed based on those factors. There are also some contextual
factors like livelihood, sustainability, culture, market, role of NGOs and
Government institutions which affect the handicraft sector. According to the
sustainable livelihood frame work is to provide a method that views people &
communities on the basis of their daily needs, insted of implementing ready-
made, general interventions & solutions without acknowledging the various
capabilities that people offer. In this study, theory is related to the sustainability
of the tribal artisans crafts. The sustainabile livelihood of the tribal artisans of
the tribal artisans are very less due to the various causes like lack of raw
materials, lack of technology, lack of proper marketing etc. Thus the livelihood
options of the tribal handicrafts are come in to the vulnerable situtions like
shocks, seasonality, climate change.

The study was conducted in a thin ethnographic framework. The study focused
on the individual tribal craftsman from them the researcher collect the data. The
researcher use both interview schedule and observation checklist to collect the
data. The data collected from 30 tribal artisans. The sustainable livelihood
frame work can be understood on the sustainable livelihood among the
handicrafts The factors like culture, marketing, NGOs state and technology
influence the handicrafts artisans to practicing the production of crafts. Finally,
the study shows that the livelihood of artisans is not sustainable so they are
vulnerable to some conditions.

Key words: Sustainability, Raw materials, Livelihood, culture