Trainings at CGCRI brings potters of Prajapati Community of Gujarat to online markets
Details:
The rural potters produce age-old functional products such as water pots (matkas), lamps (diyas), Roti pans (tavdis), various pots used in the kitchen, etc by employing traditional methods and using local raw materials. Unfortunately, traditional pottery has somehow lost its value as well as usefulness due to the introduction of several other similar competitive products of steel, plastic, etc. Further, the changes in the lifestyle of the people have also severely impacted it. The rural potters are financially poor and technically backward. The reasons could be the low productivity, low selling prices of finished products, non-consistent quality, poor sales network only within a local area, limited education etc.
In order to facilitate the upliftment of the rural artisans, it was necessary to introduce the rural potters to different modern production techniques (slip casting, jigger jolly, pressing, firing, decoration etc), educate them about the quality of raw materials and products, its evaluation, the importance of product diversity, new designs, reduction in the rejection rate, some basic calculations to understand the economics of their activity, soft skills for better impact, expansion of the market through e-marketing, energy conservation, reduction in pollution, etc.
With the help of the interventions made by CSIR-CGCRI Naroda Centre, Ahmedabad in broadly three major areas of activities – Testing of ceramic products and raw materials as per various standards, undertaking R&D Projects for technical problem solving and imparting training for human resources development, the Centre has undertaken Integrated Technology Development Project aiming for Technology Up-gradation along with Product Development, training, testing and implementation of Terracotta and allied Pottery wares in the rural areas of the State of Gujarat jointly with the Gujarat Matikam Kalakari & Rural Technology Institute, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Mass production has helped in increasing income levels also. Increased income has in turn improved socio-economic levels. The confidence of the women has increased due to increased income and livelihood options as the finishing and painting are majorly done by women. The finishing of the products has improved drastically. Time and drudgery has been reduced.
“Training in the decoration of the terracotta in marketing and packaging has increased the value of the products developed,” said Hiral Anilbhai Gajjar, Hadala, Dist. Rajkot.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Parag M. Solanki, Scientist in Charge , Naroda Centre, CSIR-CGCRI
Contact info: pmsolanki@cgcri.res.in
Implementing Agency: CSIR- Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI)
Funding Agency: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)
