Livelihood Impact of Craft Sales Research Project

Carol Murphy and Helen Suich

WILD Project and EEU, MET

In partnership with Rössing Foundation and IRDNC

Background

• CBNRM Craft Development Programme has contributed to the commercialisation of basket production

• Generation of individual cash benefits to a large number of poor women is a unique feature of this plant-based CBNRM initiative

• Money to poor women is a key feature for successful poverty alleviation

• No studies done on the livelihood impact of craft sales in Namibia

• Detailed craft sales data available (RF and IRDNC to get database to continue)

• Focus on baskets (565 weavers in Caprivi sold at least one basket between 1998 and 2001)

• Other craft makers – potters and wood carvers – are on average much higher earners then weavers, but there are only 22 of them

Research

• To conduct an analysis of craft sales data in Caprivi and determine the impact that basket sales have on the livelihoods of selected basket producers

• Phase 1 – RF sales in Masokotwane and Salambala Conservancy

• Phase 2 – Mashi Crafts Co-operative (IRDNC)

Research Methods

• Orientation – field visits with RF and IRDNC, combined proposal and MOU

• Analysis of basket sales data (field records) from 16 villages in Masokotwane and Salambala

• Interviews with 24 weavers (high and middle income earners from craft sales)

Main Findings• Total RF sales figure from June 1998 to end

of 2001 was just over $N200,000

Total value of craft sales to RF, Caprivi

$N1,910

$N15,682

$N83,243

$N98,368

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

1998 1999 2000 2001

$N

• 80% of weavers earned less then $N500 each year between mid 1998 and December 2001

• In 1998 and 1999, no weaver earned over $N1,000. In 2000, 11 weavers earned over $N1,000 and in 2001 this dropped to only four women

• The highest earning weaver over the whole period received $N3,797 (though she only started selling baskets in March 1999)

• Average income in 2001 for weavers was $N147, ranging between $N6 and $N1,418

• Average income in 2001 for potters was $N164, ranging from $N10 to $N1,135

• Average income in 2001 for wood carvers was $N4,454, ranging from $N1,416 to $N8,314

• In 2001, 95% of crafters selling to RF were weavers, but they made only 85% of the total value of sales

• In the same year, the bottom 125 weavers earned only 3% of total income ($N3,026), while the top 125 women earned almost 75% between them ($N74,441)

Description of 24 female weavers interviewed

• 20 to 80 yrs

• some had never been to school and only one weaver had completed grade 12

• all women but one had children between one and nine, with an average of five

Sources of income

• For all women the three most important sources of income were:

Basket sales

Thatch grass sales

Maize sales

Sources of income compared

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Bask

et s

ales

Maize

sale

s

That

ching

gras

s sa

les

Vetko

ek s

ales

Reed

sale

s

Snuf

f sale

s

Pens

ions

Slau

ghte

ring

oxen

Rent

ing o

xen

out

Build

ing p

olesa

les

Fish

sales

Swee

t sale

s

Labo

ur

Beer

sale

s

Carv

ing b

yhu

sban

d

Sorg

hum

sales

Per c

ent (

%)

Top earners

Median earners

Average

Use of income

• For the weavers the most important uses of income (from all sources, not just craft income) were

Food

School costs

Clothes

Uses of income compared

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Food

Sch

ool c

osts

Clo

thes

Soa

p,po

wde

r, e

tc

Clin

ic/h

ospi

tal

fees

Hiri

ng o

xen

Ban

k

Hiri

ng a

trac

tor

Hou

seho

ldgo

ods

Wee

ding

Milli

ng g

rain

Tran

spor

t

Pe

r ce

nt

(%)

Top earners

Median earners

Average

Women’s control of money from basket sales

• 14 women had full control: of these half were female headed households

• 6 women made joint decisions with their husbands

• Two lost control of money by giving it to their husbands

Income-generating alternatives to weaving

Limited (none mentioned salaried labour, all activities were existing activities carried out by women):

• Ploughing to grow maize for sale

• Joining a sewing group

• Making vetkoek to sell

• Buying sorghum to make traditional beer

• Selling thatch and reeds (also reed mats)

• Collecting and selling wild fruits

• Growing vegetables to sell

• Children selling sweets

Difficulties

• Constraints to collecting and preparing natural resources

• Strenuous nature of weaving

• Low return activity

• Finding more markets

• Selling lower grade craft

Conclusions

• CBNRM Craft Development Programme has commercialised basket production in Caprivi

• RF – Total sales and numbers of producers are impressive

• Good ‘fit’ with CBNRM and livelihoods

• Monetary income from cash upfront is an important source of income for some rural women in Caprivi and has contributed to poverty alleviation

• Making and selling baskets is one income-generating activity that makes up the diverse livelihoods of rural women

• In most cases, amount of money generated is small (e.g. compared to pensions)

• Small amounts of cash to poor people have been identified as being of great significance

Basket production is a marginal, supplementary activity that is time-consuming and brings low returns BUT it is very important because:

– the development impact of basket sales income is great – money earned from craft sales is spent on basic needs (food, education, health);

– women can weave from home (so it fits in with women as homemakers/childminders); and

– very little capital is needed to make baskets, so it is an option for even very poor women.

• Transaction costs are much lower when compared to other CBNRM enterprises and the development impact is more immediate and direct

• The presence of a conservancy not essential to a successful craft programme

• Attention has been paid to sustainable use of palm dye trees (harvesting techniques and palm gardens)

• A strength is that there is collective management (mainly selling) linked to individual benefit

• Apart from cash generation, indirect benefits include increasing the crafters’ sense of pride and identity

• Craft programme has helped strengthen the role of women in the CBNRM

• Also worked to diversify the

emphasis on large mammals

Recommendations

• The Craft Development Programme is very important in terms of poverty alleviation

• There is a need to maintain the development impact of the programme

• Need for alternative income

generating activities that

are less marginal