Empowering Artisans: Unlocking Rural Markets for Craft Revival

Abstract

Over 200 million people's lives in India are linked to the artisan sector, either directly or indirectly. The environment in this sector is mostly informal, rural and driven by innovation, with a high concentration of MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium-sized) firms, consisting mainly of labour-intensive and skill-intensive workers. India's second greatest source of employment and livelihood after agriculture is the artisan economy (Kapur et al., 2022), which has a widespread reach, unlike modern manufacturing methods confined to a few geographic areas. This paper explores the importance of reviving craft-based businesses in India. They act as a source of employment for millions and preserve the country’s rich heritage and culture, as well as drive economic growth. Despite facing challenges like having to compete with industrial manufacturing and meeting consumers’ demands, rural artisans adapt to meet the changing times. This paper advocates for better support systems, more suitable access to resources, and ways to connect with a community to boost sales and promote their small businesses, to reinforce the significance of crafts as a cornerstone of India’s cultural and economic landscape.