SLIM and University of Moratuwa step in to uplift cane industry

Under a new concept titled ‘Gamata Marketing,’ the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) has undertaken to promote the philosophy of marketing among rural entrepreneurs thereby opening a whole new world to them resulting in increasing their incomes and enhancing their living standards .

SLIM has selected Radawadunne, a village which has earned a name for cane products, for the first project under this scheme. In fact, the village is better known as Veveldeniya due to its traditional involvement with the cane industry.

The project is being done in association with the Department of integrated Design, Faculty of Architecture - Universityof Moratuwa.

A study had done by the students of the Department of integrated Design, Faculty of Architecture - University of Moratuwa and SLIM Project Committee have revealed that what was once a prosperous industry is now facing virtual extinction due to a number of reasons.

The difficulty in getting the raw material, the availability of cheaper alternative imported products, lack of creativity resulting in the same designs being turned out over and over again thereby hardly offering a choice for the customer, and a decreasing interest in the traditional ware have been identified as the main reasons.

SLIM has recognised that a vicious circle is in operation with a lack of interest among buyers for age old designs resulting in decreased sales, which in turn mean less income and less profit. This results in the producers looking for low quality, cheaper raw materials out of which they turn out low quality products. These have a low demand. The low incomes and low wages paid to craftsmen force them to look for other more lucrative jobs. Thus less and less skilled persons remain in what was once a flourishing industry.

What SLIM and the University of Moratuwa are doing is introducing the craftsmen to a range of new designs and products that go beyond the conventional and monotonous furniture designs that the customers have been used to seeing.

The project envisages building up a close rapport between the craftsmen and the students in the first instance so that the latter will get a thorough understanding of the problems faced by the craftsmen. Site visits have helped the students to get a firsthand knowledge of the present situation and the problems faced by the craftsmen.

Meanwhile, separate workshops on marketing have been held to enhance the knowledge of marketing among both the students and the craftsmen.

SLIM treats the project as a key CSR activity and is keen to get the support of numerous sponsors to make the project a success.