Livelihood Impact of Craft Sales Research Project

Carol Murphy and Helen SuichWILD 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 salesThatch grass salesMaize sales

Sources of income compared

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Bask

et s

ales

Maize

sales

That

ching

gras

s sa

les

Vet

koek

sales

Reed

sales

Snuf

f sales

Pens

ions

Slau

ghte

ring

oxen

Rent

ing

oxen

out

Build

ing

pole

sales

Fish

sales

Swee

t sales

Labo

ur

Beer

sales

Carv

ing

byhu

sban

d

Sorg

hum s

ales

Per ce

nt (%

)

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

FoodSchool costsClothes

Uses of income compared

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Food

Scho

ol c

osts

Clot

hes

Soap

,po

wde

r, et

c

Clin

ic/h

ospi

tal

fees

Hirin

g ox

en

Bank

Hirin

g a

tract

or

Hous

ehol

dgo

ods

Wee

ding

Milli

ng g

rain

Tran

spor

t

Per

cent

(%)

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