Flipkart partners with Gujarat handloom and handicrafts organisation to empower artisans and craftsmen

Ecommerce major Flipkart on Monday said it had signed an MoU with the Gujarat State Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd (GSHHDC) for promotion of local handicrafts.

The agreement is part of Flipkart's Samarth initiative, under which the Walmart-backed company is helping artisans, weavers, and craftsmen set up their business on the Flipkart Marketplace.

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As part of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), GSHHDC and Flipkart will work together to enhance business and trade inclusion opportunities for artisans, weavers and craftsmen in Gujarat.

Eligible sellers will receive training and incubation support from Flipkart in the form of onboarding, business insights, dedicated seller support, and warehousing.

"The MoU with Flipkart is the start of a new era for Garvi Gurjari. Handloom and handicraft artisans living in remote areas of Gujarat will now be able to use Flipkart's platform to expand their market reach," GSHHDC Managing Director Mahesh Singh said.

Along with marketing their products, the artisans would gain valuable knowledge about developments in designs, colour patterns, and selling techniques from the platform, he added.

"With every artisan who becomes a part of Samarth, we take a step further in making ecommerce more inclusive for all Indians and contributing to the economic growth and prosperity in the country," Flipkart Group Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Rajneesh Kumar said.

Flipkart recently announced the launch of Flipkart Samarth, a breakthrough initiative aimed at bringing India’s artisans, weavers, and handicrafts producers onto an ecommerce platform. 

The initiative will open up national market access for these underserved communities, giving them access to a constantly growing pan-India customer base of more than 150 million, while empowering them to leverage the benefits of the ecommerce model.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, said, “As a homegrown company, we are constantly innovating to find new ways to use ecommerce to uplift and empower all sections of society especially MSMEs. These small businesses are the backbone of Indian economy, going back centuries. Through Flipkart Samarth, we are helping traditionally underserved communities access a pan-India market and engage with over 150 million customers. The initiative will help us partner with the government and add impetus to various social empowerment schemes. Flipkart Samarth will leverage increasing internet penetration in rural India to boost entrepreneurship, and we are excited about the shared value we’re adding to the ecosystem with this initiative.”

In a drive to empower MSMEs across the country, Flipkart recently also revamped its seller financing programme, Growth Capital. Under this programme, one lakh-plus sellers listed on the platform will be able to avail credit at competitive interest rates from 10 NBFCs and banks, with an approval time of one day and with disbursal into the sellers’ bank accounts within 48 hours.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context.)

(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)

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