Africa must produce for the global market — Mudenda

AFRICA should utilise her artistic expression to tap into the $100 million global handicrafts market as part of efforts to alleviate poverty and empower ordinary people.

Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda said this in Bulawayo on Friday while addressing delegates at the official opening of the 9th edition of the Coordinating Committee for the Development and Promotion of African Handicrafts (Codepa).

Codepa is a 26-member inter-African organisation formed to develop and promote African handicrafts.

Advocate Mudenda said Africa’s competitiveness in the global market will go a long way in erasing the scourge of poverty in the continent.

“The global market value for handicraft is estimated to be at least $100 million with key markets being the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Japan and Hong Kong.

“Where is the African artistic expression in this global handicrafts competitiveness? Let it be displayed to erase the scourge of poverty in Africa side by side with other productive sectors in commerce and industry,” said Adv Mudenda.

He implored Codepa to come up with policies, which support handicraft development in the continent, adding that production is presently dominated by China and India as well as other Asian countries yet Africa has a huge demographic advantage.

“The position of China and India is based largely on low cost, high volume and western designed goods.

“Africa should be also on the lead because the handicrafts sector is a home based industry, which requires minimum capital input and infrastructure.

“Codepa must, therefore, develop policies that support this sector in Africa.

“This is a sector that can be handy in initiating a whole community into a viable commercial centre underpinning improvement and its livelihood,” said Advocate Mudenda.

In many developing countries, he added, the contribution made to the economy and the export market through artistic artisanry is increasing as more new craftspeople are introduced to the sector.

“Reducing poverty through employment generation in the craft sector should be done at policy and capacity building levels. At policy level, this requires improvements in domestic policy innovation and robust legal frameworks, which will anchor the handicrafts industry.

“Such a policy and legal framework must impinge upon sustainable capacity building programmes meant to enhance productivity in the sector,” said Adv Mudenda.

He said member states should also endeavour to create an environment conducive to aesthetic craft appreciation.

“Such intervention should address the many weaknesses noted among handicrafters. These include lack of formal structures, lack of appropriate education, limited capital and exposure to new production technologies, absence of market intelligence and lack of consistency.

“This must be followed up by implementing policy recommendations that encourage youth and women to engage in professional skills training, which would help them increase production,” said Adv Mudenda.

He urged development partners to pay attention to gender equity so that women could also enjoy legal and financial support in their entrepreneurship.