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This document has been made available in electronic format
by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
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February, 1997
(Source: ICA in Asia and the Pacific -Annual Report 1996)

		     Workers' and Artisans' Co-op Activities
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CICOPA (The International Committee of Producers' and Artisans' 
Co-operatives) is an integral part of the ICA. In the year 1993, 
CICOPA launched a pilot project in India co-financed by European 
Union DG-8 office at Brussels. The project was aimed at 
strengthening management and marketing skills of producers' 
and artisans' co-operatives in India. The term of the pilot project 
was for a period for three years. Late Mr. Yves Regis, the then 
Chairman of CICOPA, was instrumental in arranging the needed 
financial assistance for the project.

The Year 1996 proved to be an year of intense activities and also 
of great misfortune. On one hand, CICOPA units in Delhi and 
Bangalore performed much in accordance with the stipulated 
targets and on the other hand lost Mr. Yves Regis, who died on 
the 9th September, 1996. Death of Mr. Regis created a vacuum 
for quite some time till the election of Mr. Marian Reybar for the 
post of Chairman, CICOPA.

Rajiv I.D. Mehta, Advisor, CICOPA, Delhi Unit has been operating
in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. 

Following is the account of his activities during 1996:

Rajasthan
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1.	Groupment of Weavers' Co-operatives (SAMFED) was 
	strengthened. Total number of primary co-operatives affiliated 
	to SAMFED rose to 22.

2.	Training Programme on Marketing Studies was organised for 
	the managers and chairmen of primary weavers' co-operatives. 
	It was attended by 30 participants.

3.	SAMFED participated in the National Handloom Expositions 
	held at Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Bombay, 
	Jaipur and Bhopal during 1996. The sales touched 5 million 
	rupees through these exhibitions.

4.	Mobile Sales were organised at Jaipur as a part of 'Market 
	Penetration' strategy.

5.	Workshop on Product Development was organised for 
	the weavers of the primary co-operatives. More than 200 
	weavers were benefitted by this workshop.

6.	Two new primary co-operatives of carpet weavers and 
	spice grinders were formed at Beawar in Rajasthan. 
	These co-operatives have given employment to 60 persons 
	in the village. The members of the co-operatives are 
	the retrenched employees of National Textile Mills which 
	was closed in 1995.

7.	Rs.251,738 was raised as contribution by the primary 
	co-operatives for CICOPA programme.

Madhya Pradesh
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1.	Workshops on the Co-operative Business Management 
	were held in Bilaspur, Bhopal and Ratanpur in Madhya 
	Pradesh. More than 300 weavers and the managers of 
	primary co-operatives attended these workshops.

2.	Sales Exhibitions were organised locally to attract the
	 rural clients and also to liquidate the inventory.

3.	Special training programme was organised at Sarangpur 
	to involve women into the weaving activity. 40 women 
	were given intensive skill upgradation training at Ansar 
	Weavers' Primary Co-operative in Sarangpur.

4.	Product Development symposia were held at the primary 
	co-operatives in Saunsar, Ratanpur, Sarangpur, Padana 
	and Maheshwar.

5.	Government/Co-operative relations were improved and 
	strengthened.

6.	A contribution of Rs.219,428 was raised for the CICOPA 
	activities in Madhya Pradesh.


Exbitions organised by CICOPA co-operatives
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1.	February-March, 1997 - Exhibition of handicrafts products 
	at Bombay, India.

2.	March, 1997 - Exhibition of products at Chiangmai, Thailand, 
	in conjunction with the Ministers' Conference.

3.	13-15 April, Jaipur, India

4.	June, 1997 - Bangalore, India.

5.	July, 1997 - Indonesia

6.	September, 1997 - Singapore (International Gift Fare)

7.	October, 1997 (Singapore) - Indian Handicrafts Fare (proposed).