By: Husna Rizwan
The fine woollen fabric popularly known as Cashmere is deeply interwoven with the history of Ladakh. Although it was Kashmir that brought the West’s attention to Pashmina (the Persian word for “Pashm” meaning finest wool fibre), the raw material came from goats that graze in high pastures of Changthang region spread across East & Southeast Ladakh & Western Tibet.
In this high-altitude region, Changpas are an agro-pastoralist community which traditionally herd livestock, including the famous Pashmina goat. Project Laksal, envisioned by G Prasanna Ramaswamy, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Leh from Sept, 2015 to Sept, 2017 & his wife Abhilasha Bahuguna, works towards training unemployed women artisans from Ladakh.
Alongside a dedicated unit of locals, their efforts at project strategy, capacity building & developing partnerships gave birth to Looms of Ladakh women’s cooperative, which now sells these products for a living.
Most of 450 quintals of untreated Pashmina that is produced every year in Leh is sold to traders in Kashmir & other parts of the world, where they are converted into finished articles like shawls. With most of the value in Pashmina locked higher up in the supply chain, the region has not enjoyed any real economic benefits. Project Laskar & establishment of Looms of Ladakh is 1st ever such local effort towards converting available raw materials into finished products.
One goat produces 250 gm of raw material per year. The earnings of a nomad after rearing goat throughout the year is negligible. A shawl made from 75 gm to 100 gm can fetch more than Rs 15,000 in the market. This year, these women were able to convert 8 quintals of raw material into finished products. By next year they will be able to add value to 20 quintals of Pashmina.
The planning behind Project Laksal began in Jul, 2016 & by the following month, it had already entered its pilot testing stage in Stok & Kharnakling village, near Leh. The 1st ever phase of this project also saw these training exercises conducted in villages of Chuchot & Phyang near Leh area.
Throughout the winter of 2016/2017, the project had entered its 2nd phase & these training exercises were extended to the villages of Chushul, Merak, Parma & Sato which are on Chinese border. Aided by a dedicated unit of locals, Government officials & design mentors Sonal Chanana & Stanzin Palmo, these women underwent extensive training. All 8 villages with 150 women working in them have now become production units for Looms of Ladakh.
Looms of Ladakh has found success in showcasing & selling their unique wool fibre. The cooperative is working towards entering the e-commerce sphere, but logistics remains an issue with the region hampered by inefficient shipping services.
Training was more focused on product innovation & skill development. Since establishment of Looms of Ladakh, the women receive 37.5% from each product sold. Each product is barcoded to identify sale of different producer groups & earnings are distributed accordingly. 41% is kept with cooperative to purchase raw material for next production season & remaining sum is utilised for running the organisation, paying utility bills, marketing material, accountant remuneration & skill development needs, amongst other expenses.A percentage is also kept aside as a welfare fund, which member artisans can only use for health expenses & the educational needs of their children.
The success of this entire initiative goes to convergence of resources & expertise from varied quarters. Seed capital for Project Laksal came from District Administration in Leh. The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) in Leh was also supportive & delivered a revolving fund of Rs 15 lakhs to cooperative in May, 2017 at launch of its flagship store.
Funds amounting to Rs 3 lakhs have also come from CSR arm of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, besides their employees who delivered an additional Rs 1.5 lakh from their salaries. Office bearers of this cooperative, elected amongst working women in this endeavour, were also trained in driving, considering the need to maintain contact between distant producer groups & source of these raw materials. Individual experts in varied fields of design & rural development, marketing have also come forward to build the organization. Local board members of this cooperative including Tatpar Joldan, Jigmet Namgyal, Phuntsog Toldhan, Jigmet Angmo, office of Sheep Husbandry Department to name a few, have passionately supported the endeavor.
There is a long way to go, but if this initiative succeeds & complete ownership finally lands at the doorstep of these enterprising Ladakhi women, it may yet prove to be most significant landmark in the region’s return to economic.
