Project Overview
Phase 1 of the Livelihood of Weavers in North Karnataka project was implemented in Gadag district with the objective of expanding the existing handloom base and improving income stability for traditional weavers. The project was designed as a capacity-building and scale-expansion initiative, addressing both production and livelihood challenges faced by the region’s weaving communities .
Duration: Financial Year (2014–15)
Scale and Coverage
- Expansion to include 150 additional weavers within the Gadag cluster
- The project was designed to support growth in production capacity and collective turnover at the cluster level
Key Objectives
- To expand the Gadag handloom cluster by inducting new weavers and weaving units
- To improve livelihood security and earning potential of traditional weavers
- To strengthen working systems, wage assessment, and production discipline
- To prepare the cluster for future scale-up and market readiness
Implementation Approach
The project adopted a hands-on, field-intensive approach, recognising the specific social and work patterns of traditional weavers in the region. Key strategies included:
- Identifying and integrating already functional weaving organisations and supporting them to reach full capacity
- Monitoring weavers’ wages on an hourly basis to better reflect actual working patterns
- Working closely with weavers already producing identified product lines
- Conducting regular field visits to Gajendragad units for design implementation and production support
- Organising skill training workshops, including sizing techniques for single-count fabric weaving
- Introducing basic accountability measures to address irregular working hours
Key Learnings & Outcomes
- The project highlighted the complex realities of scaling traditional weaving livelihoods, including social conditions, work culture, and resistance to experimentation
- Strengthened engagement with local weavers laid the groundwork for long-term cluster development
- Early improvements were seen in process awareness, skill application, and wage assessment methods
- The initiative established a strong foundation for subsequent phases and larger-scale interventions in North Karnataka