Handicraft export development

ADAM will provide services to four artisan knitwear organizations - the three cooperatives (Fotrama, Amerindia, and Las Imillas) and one private business (Kay Huasy) which account for 90% of the knitwear industry in the Cochabamba area (where 2/3 of Bolivian knitwear is produced). These organizations employ poor, rural women and have a record for remunerating their knitters well. Two other groups will be added during the project. Specifically, ADAM will contract with a U.S. knitwear marketing company to provide services in the areas of market research, product design, production control, and artisan training. The U.S. firm will market the knitwear articles it helps the artisan organization produce. By the fourth year of the project, it is expected that the production and sales of artisanal knitwear will have developed to the point where the artisan organizations and the U.S. firm will continue commercial relationships on their owm. ADAM will charge a commission on the knitwear sold; the funds will permit ADAM to work with artisan groups producing other exportable products. Artisan income (currently $4 -$20 a year) is expect to increase to an annual average of $139, and the production of sweaters by the four organizations from 40,000 a year to 200,000.