The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Self-help groups to be formed to promote cultivation of sisal plants

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 26, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Self-help groups to be formed to promote cultivation of sisal plants

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, NOV. 25. Initiatives for Development through Participation of Marginalised Sections (IDPMS), in association with the Union Ministry of Textiles, will promote formation of self-help groups (SHGs) to grow sisal (agave) plants that are in demand in the market.

Addressing presspersons here today, the Director of the IDPMS, Sadanand, said the by-products of sisal plants had varied use. The economically weaker sections through SHGs could be empowered financially by growing sisal plants and production of by-products.

Stating that efforts were being made to form SHGs in all districts, Mr. Sadanda said the climatic conditions in semi-arid areas suited agave plants, which required less water. The plants help in preventing soil erosion.

He said though the fibre extracted from the plant was used for making ropes, it could be used as raw material for articles of high value. On the need for SHGs in marketing sisal products, he said in the recent past, a spurt in the demand for such products was noticed. Experts attributed it to the liberalisation policy. Being small producers, craftsmen from rural areas were unable to meet the increasing demand. This translated into planning and managing an enterprise.

Products

He said the products made of sisal plants included tablemats, shopping/fancy bags, doormats, furniture, footwear, coaster and pouches. One of the ways to achieve fusion of talents was to develop a cluster of sisal craftsmen. As a result, the Cluster Development Programme for Natural Fibre Products had been launched at Tenkanamole and Badaganamole villages in Chamarajanagar district. The Minister for Industries, P.G.R. Sindhia, had been urged to provide funds to establish a research and development centre. On its part, the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, was undertaking a project to mix sisal leaves in biogas plants as they were learnt to be a highly combustible product, he added.

Exhibition

He said to provide a boost to craftsmen, the IDPMS would organise a 10-day exhibition at Sri Narasimharaja Sahakara Bhavan here. Besides sisal crafts, products from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and other States would also be exhibited. The Santhemaralli MLA, Dhruvanarayan, would inaugurate the exhibition on Friday, he added.

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