Expanding International Trade Opportunity for Tanzanian Artisans

The importance of handcraft in Tanzania is readily evident in the very large numbers of women and men engaged in handcraft production, and in the wide range of crafts available, including woodcarving, basketry, textiles, beadwork and leatherwork. The handcraft sector is comprised of artisans, women’s groups, small enterprises and organizations, and also includes a diversity of public and private service providers for the development and support of craft production, marketing and trade. A research project was undertaken in 2005 with the purpose to assist in the process of increasing opportunity for artisans to enter and succeed in new markets, including the export market. The research examined the situation of craft producers in Tanzania and also the kinds of interventions and supportive organizations that assist craft producers to develop and market their products and create small enterprises. The research was carried out in cooperation with the Trade Facilitation Office Canada (TFOC) a Canadian non-profit NGO that provides export training and marketing assistance for developing countries. TFOC is involved in PACT, a joint programme with the International Trade Centre in Geneva. PACT – Programme for building African Capacity for Trade – aims to assist the African private sector to do business internationally and to promote their exports. As part of PACT, TFOC initiated a project in partnership with the Tanzanian Bureau of External Trade (BET) to increase capacity and opportunity for exporting Tanzanian handcraft. The research report – Tanzanian Handcraft Study –...