COMMUNITY BASED INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT OF

SHAWL & BLANKET WEAVING FOR EXPORT:

PROJECT SUMMARY

Name of the Project

Community Based Rangeland Improvement/ Hosiery Grade Wool Production/ Processing/ Spinning/ Shawl & Blanket Weaving

Tenure 3 YearsProject Area 4 Districts of Former Hazara Division, Mansehra, Kohistan,Abbottabad and

Haripur Districts of, N.W.F.P. and all 8 Districts of AJ&K Neelum, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalakot, Kotli, Mirpur, Sudhnoti and Bhimber Districts.

Project’s Objective

To rehabilitate the socio-economic situation of the marginalized/ disadvantaged portions of the community.

To raise the living standards of the farming community by improving their livelihood through productivity enhancement and bioenvironmental management of natural resources.

To address the needs of women folk especially widows, orphans and other deprived segments of society.

To establish Community Corporate upon completion of 3 years periodPopulation Served

1,381,300

Brief description of the conceptual model

After Capacity Building and Awareness Raising by presenting economics of viable small wool production and value addition units for economy generation and income enhancement, the Community members will be asked to own this particular intervention based upon their strengths. It is proposed to introduce an Appropriate, Integrated and Sustainable Approach to Rural Development, keeping in view latest trends that are producing “Results”. A short analysis is given below:

Needs-Based Community Development:Needs-Based Community Development:Traditional Model:Traditional Model: Based on NeedsBased on Needs Goal Institutional ChangeGoal Institutional Change Conversation Problems and ConcernsConversation Problems and Concerns Change Agent PowerChange Agent Power View of Individual Consumer/ ClientView of Individual Consumer/ Client Needs are based on Community Problems!Needs are based on Community Problems!

Assets-Based Community Development:Assets-Based Community Development:Alternate Model:Alternate Model: Based on AssetsBased on Assets Goal Building CommunitiesGoal Building Communities Conversation Gifts & DreamsConversation Gifts & Dreams Change Agent RelationshipChange Agent Relationship View of Individual Producer / OwnerView of Individual Producer / Owner

Assets are based on Community “Treasures”Assets are based on Community “Treasures”“Asset-Based” Development:

Reorients development from a “needs-based” approach. Needs-based models seek to identify weaknesses in a local community and then implement strategies to overcome those weaknesses

This method of mobilizing citizens focuses on negative characteristics of a community and demoralizes local residents, thus limiting proactive action at the local level.

Focusing on local assets, instead of needs and deficits, allows residents to identify possibilities for change that they can control, and energizes residents to take action.

Asset-Based Community Development:

Individual self-interestRelationships undeveloped

Asset Mapping Catalystwhich cause Relationships to Develop

Relationships formbased on Networks, Trust and Norms

One Outcome is Community Action!

While the needs-based approach focuses on garnering external resources to solve problems, the alternative asset based approach looks for residents’ personal skills and dreams and links them to action through a public articulation of these local assets.

Economic Gardening:Using local resources to grow their own jobs through entrepreneurial

activity— Economic gardening—instead of recruiting them from outside the community, or Economic Hunting. The idea evolved from work by Dr. David

Birch at MIT who argued that a majority of all new jobs in any local economy were produced by small local businesses.Core Elements of Economic Gardening:1) Providing information, infrastructure and connections for local growth companies; 2) Providing connections between industry and academia; 3) Focusing on quality of life and amenities.

Viable Alternative! Introduce Alternate Management Systems in Livestock, including the

following: Sheep Breed improvement for Hosiery Grade Wool Production. Correct & Innovative Cultural Practices and Management for

Fodder Production (3-D Herbs, Shrubs and Forbs and Fodder Trees).

Conservation Irrigation. Angora Rabbit and Pashmina Goat Breeding for Wool production. Wool Processing. Shawl/ Blanket Weaving and Value Addition for Export.

Collective Micro Enterprise.

Vital Issues: Poverty Mitigation/ Prosperity; Ecologically Safe/ Sustainable Wool Production, Range Management &

Afforestation; Micro Enterprise.

Poverty Eradication:In order to fight hunger and combat poverty and deprivation we must

release and tap the enormous potential of the people who can develop their own skills and local resources.

Weaving is a major source of income generating for the vulnerable communities in AJ&K and the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. This activity is being carried out extremely successfully in Islampur village of District Swat. The local populace is earning a huge amount for their livelihood. Similarly Hand weaving was familiar to the people of Balakot and Jared in Mansehra District, where a number of people were involved in this business before the earthquake. In AJ&K this activity is a traditional source of income and Kashmir is famous internationally in this activity. Traditionally weaving of one shawl and planting of one Shisham (Talli) tree was carried out at the birth of a girl child. The shawl would eventually constitute a part of the girl’s dowry and the tree was used for making furniture. In order to revive this traditional craft and afford marginalized women an opportunity to work at home and earn handsomely, an effort is being made to widen the production base and create a larger export market. Since Pakistan and AJ&K are sorely lacking in Hosiery

Grade Wool there is a need to establish complete backward and forward linkages in Hosiery Grade Wool Production and Value addition.

The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) is a premier Research Institution in the fields of Agriculture/ Horticulture; Livestock & Range Management and has at its disposal much applied research and key personnel in this regard. Invaluable technical support and oversight can be provided to ensure success of this undertaking.

The SOS Villages of Pakistan are providing an extremely valuable service by looking after the needs of orphans and other disadvantaged children. Since this Institution works entirely on Grants and Charitable sources, it is required that a permanent income base be built up in order to ensure sustainability. For this purpose female children can be trained in Shawl/ Blanket Production while male children can be trained in Sheep Management and Wool Production for future Supervisory work in their respective fields once they grow up and join society. This aspect of the project ensures job security of these disadvantaged children as well as ensures sustainability of the project interventions Most importantly the SOS can be given the responsibility of marketing of the finished products. This is viable due to the International Linkages of the Institution and the degree of confidence and interest that this aspect is bound to create in the international market.

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Rural Support Program (AJKRSP) has been established in Azad Kashmir as a non-profit organization and registered under Section 42 of the Companies Ordinance 1984 on October 29, 2007, as an indigenous Rural Support Program (RSP) in AJK, on lines of similar RSPs operating in all Provinces of Pakistan. The AJKRSP can operate all over AJ&K, Pakistan as well as Internationally. The main objective of the AJKRSP is: To promote the process of sustainable development through sectoral and programmatic interventions in partnership with communities at the grassroots level, with focus on the under-developed areas, marginalized and vulnerable groups, by forging effective linkages and fostering functional networks with relevant stakeholders for the socio-economic uplift of the area, leading to prosperity and well-being of the communities at all levels.Thus a Nexus can be established between the following:1. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC).2. AJKRSP.3. SOS Villages Dhodhial Mansehra & Muzaffarabad.

Total Cost of the Project

Rupees 1,000 million.

INTRODUCTION

The objective of the Project is to provide employment opportunities to the house

holds on Conglomerate Basis in order to produce sufficiently for export. Shawls and

blankets weaving activity are already introduced in some areas like Muzaffarabad District

of AJ&K, Numbal Union Council of Abbottabad District, Balakot and Kaghan of

Mansehra District. It is proposed to build up herds of hosiery grade wool bearing sheep;

breed and distribute Angora rabbits; establish wool collection and processing facilities;

start trainings and support marketing of Shawls/ Blankets on Community basis for

marginalized females. This will not only generate employment opportunities for them but

also improve their marketable skills.

PARC

SOS

Local Communities

AJKRSP

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK:

The proposed activity is designed keeping in view the training, working and

marketing needs of the whole of this region. Primarily it will consist of an establishment

section; breed improvement; wool processing; training facility and networking/

marketing section, fully equipped with relevant staff, equipment and communication

system. Besides permanent staff of the section, a data bank with lists and information

about the trainers, master trainers, and trained women and men workers, marketing

channels and potential markets shall be established. In the present situation, various

skilled workers are producing a variety of products but are unable to get financial benefits

due to lack of a marketing system which has never been taken up by the trainers as an

essential part of their activity. This has resulted in investment and production without a

marketing vision of the producers. Under this scheme, the trained workers shall be

organized in Collective Marketing Associations (CMAs) in order to coordinate their

activities and engage them in a “market-led” entrepreneurial set up linked with the best

available markets within and outside the country.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNIT:

TRAINING/ HR

ADMINISTRATION

DATA/ GIS

BIOENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT

RANGELAND

IMPROVEME

NT

BREED IMPROVEME

NT

PASHMINA GOAT

ANGORA RABBIT

HOSIERY GRADE BREEDS

WOOL PROCESSING

COLLECTION

PROCESSIN

G:SORTING/

WASHING

VALUE ADDITION

MARKETING

Necessary equipment, training materials and marketing information shall be

kept updated along with relevant modules to be ready for taking up any training courses

or demand for products (goods or services) from anywhere. For conducting training

courses, a minimum number of participants per course shall be defined so that trainings

could be arranged economically both for the AJKRSP and the trainees.

Training.

Bobbin Winding

Bobbin winding training will be given to the trainees through relevant tools i.e

Garzanai and Charkha.

Warping

Warping is a complicated process of weaving. The trainees will be trained to

make warps for different sizes and qualities.

Jointing of Warp

During this process the trainees will be trained to joint the new warp with the

existing one. A readymade handloom will be required for the purpose which will

have a short piece of warp.

Weaving

General weaving

This process will lead the participants to a process which will enable them to

weave simple shawls/ blankets. This is a long term process and will take a

relatively long time.

Design Making (Flowers etc)

Special designs at the beginning and end of the blanket and shawls improve the

importance and attraction of the product. The participants of the training will be

enabled to gain the skill. Colorful material will be used for the purpose.

Zondi Making

The trainees will be trained to make Zondies on the both sides of blanket/Shawls.

Washing

The softness of weaving product is hidden in the unique local washing process

with out any advanced machinery. The trainees will be trained to wash the

product in a right and environment friendly way.

Pressing/Finishing

The trainees will be guided regarding pressing and finishing the product using

manual and advanced techniques.

Dying

Dying is a complicated and sensitive process in the weaving industry. The

trainees will be trained to gain the skills for dying the raw material and product

once finalized.

Material to be used

Although quality raw materials are available but during the training low cost

material will be used to minimize the cost. The following raw material will be

used during the training.

1. Nylon (White)

2. Wool-10

3. Nylon (Black, Red, Orange, Green, Brown, Blue)

4. Soap

5. Dyes and chemicals

Tools and equipment

The following local tools and equipment will be required for the training at each

location.

1. Looms (Traditional) 5

2. Looms (Modified) 5

3. Spinning Wheels/Bobbin Winders 4

5. Warping Machine (Traditional) 1

6. Warping Machine (Modified) 1

7. Bobbins (Small size) 500

8. Bobbins (Big Size) 200

9. Shuttles 30

10. Drums for Washing 2

11. Washing Pot (Bot) 2

12. Yard 2

13. Rope (In Yards) 100