(MENAFN- KNN India) Visakhapatnam, May 21 (KNN)
E-commerce giant Amazon India announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with tribal artisans fr0m the Visakhapatnam region of Andhra Pradesh, on Monday.
The collaboration aims to provide these indigenous craftspeople with access to Amazon's vast online marketplace, allowing them to sell their authentic handmade products to a global customer base.
A key objective of this partnership is to generate employment opportunities and revenue streams for the tribal communities by listing and promoting their forest-derived goods on the Amazon platform.
The e-commerce company plans to establish a dedicated hub within the tribal area to facilitate activities such as packaging, branding, storage, dispatch, and order processing.
Through its Karigar program, designed to support artisans and weavers, Amazon India will provide training to the tribal members on various aspects of online selling, including packaging and branding their products effectively.
Gaurav Bhatnagar, Director of Seller Acquisition and Development at Amazon India, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, "By partnering with the Visakhapatnam Forest Tribals and expanding our Karigar Program's reach, we are enriching the Amazon marketplace with authentic handcrafted products and preserving the legacy of age-old traditions."
Initially, the project will focus on selling non-consumable forest produce such as grass-woven mats, elephant dung paper, and bamboo utensils through Amazon's online channels.
Anant Shankar, IFS, District Forest Officer of Visakhapatnam, welcomed the partnership, noting, "Our collaboration with Amazon India will significantly benefit the tribal community residing in the heart of the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. This partnership will enable them to showcase their craftsmanship to a broader audience, thereby enhancing their living standards."
Launched in 2017, the Amazon Karigar program aims to facilitate small businesses, specialised micro-entrepreneurs, weavers, and artisans by providing them with access to e-commerce opportunities and enabling them to grow their businesses.
According to Amazon, the program currently impacts over 1.8 million artisans, with a selection of over 200,000 handmade products across various categories, including handloom, handicrafts, hand-processed beauty and gourmet products, encompassing over 470 arts and crafts fr0m across the country.
Over the years, more than 30 government emporiums and five government NGOs have partnered with Amazon to facilitate online sales for their products and reach a wider customer base.
(KNN Bureau)
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