Water Hyacinth Craft Products under ASOMI® Brand developed by Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission.

            Assam is rich in flora and fauna from time immemorial. Among those ‘Water Hyacinth” locally known as “Pani Meteka” is the most widely distributed species. It reproduces quickly and often clogs slow-flowing streams. But for a long time, the aquatic plant was considered only as a waste and was either cleared up or left unused. That is when ASRLM has thought of starting an intervention utilizing this natural resource and making useful craft out of it. Initially the project has been started with 600 people in 6 clusters across Assam on a pilot basis. The names of the clusters are Pub Mongoldoi under Darrang District, Kachugaon under Kokrajhar District, Dolongghat under Nagaon District, Guijan under Tinsukia District, Majuli under Majuli District & Dhemaji under Dhemaji District.

            It is said that every successful enterprise has a very clear strategic purpose. ASRLM has taken up this initiative after lots of research and especially for the following reasons:

• Raw Material is free and abundant.
• It is eco friendly in nature
• Its removal helps to conserve water and rejuvenate the environment.
• It helps to create Sustainable livelihoods & inclusive growth in rural areas.
• It provides opportunity to earn as per the skills of the artisans.
• Women can build the complete value chain of this craft.

            Initially, ASRLM had planned this initiative as a source of an additional income for SHG members and thus will be a part time activity. But for the same it is important to disseminate proper training. Therefore, North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi), the pioneer agency of the North-Eastern Region in Water Hyacinth craft, has been taken to provide the technical support in the project. In order to enhance the skills and productivity of the selected members, technical training and capacity building programmes have been designed specific to the requirement of the artisan of Assam, viz, Skill Development Programme at Village Level, Advanced Training at NEDFi (R&D) Centre and Product Specific Re-orientation programme at village level.

            Further, ASRLM has established six Common Facility Centres (CFCs) in all the six clusters and equipped those with man and resources to make them sustainable in the long run. Production has started from February, 2018 onwards in phased manner and so far the income from this activity reaches an amount of Rs. 64, 51,824/- till the month of March 2020, with an average income of Rs. 9000/- per member. These CFCs have already been registered and SHG members running these CFCs are already in a position to hire a person to look after their expenses.

As per the norms of the government procurement system, ASRLM has already registered 6 products in the Government e-Marketplace (GEM) portal and other items will also soon be available in the same. Apart from that with different products of water hyacinth, like Purse, Table mats, Ladies hand bags, Official folders, Laundry baskets, Laptop Bags, Tiffin Bags, Bottle carrier etc, the SHG women had participated in different fairs across India and bring accolades to the state. These products have also made a mark in the, ‘India Garment Fair & India Home Furnishing Fair’ held at Osaka, Japan in the month of July, 2019 and Govt of India had already completed the details procedure to export some of the products to other countries after the OSAKA fair.       The project has executed one of the biggest bulk orders by supplying beautifully crafted bordered “Yoga Mat” on the occasion of International Yoga Day on 21^st June, 2019, where the SHG weavers had delivered the consignments only in 20 days time.

The success of the project brings more and more SHG members under its aegis and ASRLM has planned to expand the project for its second phase. Thus the project has rightfully justified its name given by the livelihood team as “Weed to Wealth”.