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HIGHLAND BAMBOO-BASED TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFT PRODUCTION, MARKETING AND UTILIZATION IN AWI ZONE, NORTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA [Abstract ID: 1209-11]
The main objective of this study is to investigate bamboo-based traditional handicraft production, marketing and utilization in Awi Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia. In order to undertake this study, in-depth interviews, FGDs, observation and document analysis were used as instruments of data collection. The findings of this study revealed that different types of traditional bamboo handicraft outputs have been produced in the study area since the early times. The wisdom of bamboo processing is largely obtained by observation from and instruction by parents and the local people. Ordinary tools are employed in the production process. Literate youth males and residents living near to major roads are active participants. Residents of remote areas and few literate youth females are occasional participants, and most who possess adequate land and most of the females are non-participants in bamboo-based traditional handicraft production and marketing. The rural community and town residents with low income are the main utilizers of bamboo handicrafts, but the bamboo handicraft utilization culture of residents of towns with medium and higher income is extremely low. The study also revealed the existence of opportunities which would be helpful to develop the bamboo handicraft sector of the study area, e.g. the presence of bamboo resource and traditional wisdom of bamboo processing in the study area, the location of most of the bamboo handicraft producing kebeles of the study area near to major roads of the country, the existence of conducive policy environment, the possibility to learn from best practices of bamboo handicraft processing at global level, the presence of technical and vocational colleges and the establishment of Injibara university. The bamboo handicraft sector of the study area, however, is underdeveloped because the sector is constrained by different challenges such as attitudinal, product quality, trained manpower, training and technology, capital, work and selling place, market linkage, support service, organizational, bamboo resource, electricity and license related challenges. Thus, efficient and innovative leadership should be provided to get rid of the challenges that affect the bamboo handicraft sector and to exploit the opportunities that would be helpful to develop the bamboo traditional handicraft sector in the study area.