International workshop on silk handcraft cottage industries and second BACSA meeting, March 2006, Bursa, Turkey

International Workshop on Silk Handcrafts Cottage Industries and Silk Enterprises Development in Africa, Europe , Central Asia , and Near East, Bursa, Turkey 6 -10 March 2006

Conclusions, recommendations,

decisions and follow ups

The workshop participants
Considering that:

Sericulture is an important labour-intensive and agro-based cottage industry, providing gainful occupation to a huge number of people in the rural and semi-urban areas in more than 35 countries from Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America.
Silk handcraft cottage industry creates tremendous economic prospect and employment potentiality for the rural people , scoring on every point: one of the highest i ncome from one unit of land , u se of less water and d rought r esistance , i ncome l eveller - transfer of income from rich to the poor nationally and internationally , generating h igh r ural e mployment , g ender benign in favor of women-employment , a n atural f ibre and e cologically harmless , n o synthetic substitute and h ighly demanded at the local market as well as in EU countries , Japan the USA etc., n o competitor to food crops.
The silk handicrafts sector also employs a large number of people, many of whom work with traditional materials, processes and products, and in remote and backward areas. The economic importance of silk handcrafts is accentuated by the fact of high employment potential, low capital investment, high ratios of value addition and that it is almost wholly artisan based.
Even though some of the African countries have traditions and local market for silk handcrafts production, they have short experience and little tradition in sericulture. On the other hand the countries of Black and Caspian seas region should make efforts in their local silk handcrafts industries revival/development in order to utilize the cocoons/raw silk locally produced as a strategy for sericulture rehabilitation and development.
The main constraints facing the silk handcraft cottage industries in Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Near East are:
- the silk production in most of the region countries declined;
- many weavers specialised in silk fabrics have switched to cotton or synthetic fibres;
- the traditional silk handcraft cottage industry, producing national style fabrics is now completely inactivated in some of the region countries;
- abandoning of traditional silk wears ;
- the traditional technologies at the level of reeling, yarn preparation and weaving need of improvement in order to diversify the fabrics and develop potential new markets;
- using poor management with low investment and technology;
- lack of new products and new designs to meet market's needs;
- the contribution rate of Iran, Turkey, Egypt and other producers from the region in the silk carpet world market has been decreased significantly within last decade;
- high prices of local silk yarn and high labour costs due to hand made products which use labour intensive;
- the free trade in textiles stimulates the weavers to import cheap raw silk from China rather than use material produced by local farmers.
The major challenges facing the sericultural industries development in the new entrants from Africa are :
- irregular and insufficient supply of silkworm eggs ;
- poor quality cocoon ;
- non availability of quality raw silk quality looms , qualified personnel to operate the filatures and other equipment ;
- lack of appropriate tools/implements for the silk handicrafts cottage industry , i nadequate knowledge about markets .
The recommendations for promotion of artisanal / traditional silk handcrafts and cottage industries at the regional levels are :
- the producers should establish the network to make collaboration among different sectors of supply chain;
- promote the silk handcraft products as natural and environmental friendly ;
- provide specializations to various outstanding silk craft centers in the leading countries to learn new techniques ;
- improve the knowledge and competency of silk industry management and its workers through seminars, training and education;
- creation country/regional data base on the silk sector and its monitoring;
- distribute and increase more advanced type silk reeling devices and machines to region wide to produce uniform quality of yarn ;
- mechanisation in certain areas which do not effect basic skill input but pertain mainly to processing and finishing should be encouraged ;
- modernisation of hand looms and accessories ;
- diversification of products, use of eco-friendly dyes etc ;
- establish local fairs and participate in international fairs to introduce silk handcraft products to the consumers and to make producers able to connect and know the latest development in their industry field ;
- reliance will have to be placed on those silk hand crafts which cater to the common man's needs and tastes for boosting exports ;
- producers should not make cheaper silk products with low quality to compete for the prices but to produce products which satisfy consumers even though they are more expensive;
- to produce own unique products which are definitely different from other countries .

They decide to:

Express formal gratefulness to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN , the Government of Republic of Turkey, the Sericultural cooperative Kozabirlik, Bursa and the Black, Caspian Seas and Central Asia Silk Association (BACSA) for organizing theInternational Workshop on Silk Handcrafts Cottage Industries and Silk Enterprises Development in Africa, Europe , Central Asia , and Near East , Bursa, Turkey 6 -10 March 2006
Recommend the Executive committee of BACSA to take decision for enlargement the radius of action of the Black, Caspian Seas and Central Asia Silk Association to cover the entire region of Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Near East in terms of exchange of market information through the BACSA web site.
Recommend the Executive committee of BACSA to decide opening a special page in its web site on “Silk handcraft cottage industries”.
Request FAO to support technically and financially organizing a regional workshop on “ Utilization of mulberry and silkworm genetic resources for sericultural enterprises development in Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Near East ”
Under the technical supervision of FAO to establish an international “Working group on the global silk handcraft cottage industries and silk enterprises development”. The group will identify and analyze major constraints and strategies for silk handcraft cottage industries development in global aspect.
Recommend to the workshop participants and all other interested persons/organizations/companies to use as a framework for further suggestions and discussions the already uploaded on to FAO 's "InPho" Website : "Equipment for Silk Handcrafts Cottage Industries" which will be updated/upgraded as FAO receive s comments .
The members of the “Working group on the global silk handcraft cottage industries and silk enterprises development” from the region of Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Near East are:

Africa :

Egypt – Mr. H. Mahalawy

Ghana – Mr. P. Ntaanu

Madagascar – Mr. Ratianarijaona

Uganda – Mr. G. Mugieny

Europe :

Albania – Mr. A. Xhoxhi

Bulgaria – Mr. P. Tzenov

Greece – Mr. E. Kipriotis

Romania – Ms. D. Tanase

Turkey – Mr. A. Karagozoglu

Ukraine : Ms. O. Galanova

BACSA second meeting final document

International Workshop on Silk Handcrafts Cottage Industries and Silk Enterprises Development in Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Near East,

Bursa, Turkey, 6 -10 March 2006

Second Executive Meeting of Black, Caspian seas and Central Asia Silk Association (BACSA) , 9 March 2006, Bursa, Turkey

The BACSA executive committee in the forum: Second Executive Meeting of Black, Caspian seas and Central Asia Silk Association (BACSA) , 9 March 2006, Bursa, Turkey took the following decisions:

Express formal gratefulness to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN , the Government of Republic of Turkey and Kozabirlik sericultural cooperative, Bursa, Turkey for organizing the “ International Workshop on Silk Handcrafts Cottage Industries and Silk Enterprises Development in Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Near East, Bursa, Turkey ” , 6 -10 March 2006 & Second Executive Meeting of Black, Caspian seas and Central Asia Silk Association (BACSA) , 9 March 2006, Bursa, Turkey
Express formal gratefulness to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN for providing financial support in a total amount of US$31000, including expenses for holding the Bursa Workshop and B ACSA Executive Meeting – 2006 , e stablishment of B ACSA Website, r egistration of B ACSA as legal Entity and p rinting and distribution of Proceedings of Bursa Workshop .
Approves the regional project proposal: “ Improvement of Income-Generation Options Based on Revival of Sericultural Industries and Promotion of Small Silk Enterprise Development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia ”
Authorizes the BACSA President to contact the possible donors for funding the regional project proposal: “ Improvement of Income-Generation Options Based on Revival of Sericultural Industries and Promotion of Small Silk Enterprise Development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia ”
Approves the regional mini-project : “C omparative studies of silkworm hybrids performance for sericultural enterprise development in Black, Caspian seas and Central Asia region ” and r ecommends to all BACSA countries interested to participate in it.
Suggests the following three centers, where the comparative testing of silkworm hybrids will be conducted: 1) SES-Vratza , Bulgaria ; 2)SRI, Gandja , Azerbaijan ; 3)USRI, Tashkent , Uzbekistan .
Approves the suggestion for registration of BACSA as a legal entity in Bulgaria , where is residing the present president of association, Dr P. Tzenov.
Until May 2006 each BACSA' national coordinator should make efforts to inform the government about the 2 nd BACSA executive meeting results and decisions and provide an official “Letter of support” on behalf of the government respective about principle support to the future possible regional project for sericulture revival.
Recommends translating in Russian and publish the book “Sericulture Training Manual”.
Decides the 3 rd BACSA executive meeting to be held in the end of September 2006 at Vratza , Bulgaria .

Заключительный документвторой встречи БАКСы, 9-го марта, Бурса, Турция

" Международны симпозиум на шелковых ремесел и развития шелковых предприятиях в Африке, Европе, Центральной Азии и Ближнем Востоке", Бурса, Турция 6-10 марта 2006 г.

Вторая Встреча Ассоциации Шелка Черного, Каспииского морей и Центральной Азии /БАКСА/, 9 марта 2006 г., Бурса, Турция

Исполнительный комитет БАКСы на форуме: Вторая Встреча Ассоциации Шелка Черного, Каспииского морей и Центральной Азии /БАКСА/, 9 марта 2006 г., Бурса, Турция взял следующие решения:

Выразить официальную благодарность Организации ООН по вопросам продовольствия и сельского хозяйства, ФАО, Правительство Республики Турции и шелководческии кооператив Коджабирлик, Бурса, Турция для организации " М еждународного симпозиума на шелковых ремесел и развития шелковых предприятиях в Африке, Европе, Центральной Азии и Ближнем Востоке ", Бурса, Турция 6-10 марта 2006 г. и Второй Встречи Ассоциации Шелка Черного, Каспииского морей и Центральной Азии /БАКСА/, 9 марта 2006 г., Бурса, Турция
Выразить официальную благодарность Организации ООН по вопросам продовольствия и сельского хозяйства, ФАО для обеспечения финансовую поддержку в общей сумме US$31000, включая расходы чтобы провести Симпозиум Бурсы и второй встречи БАКСы - 2006, создание Вебсайта БАКСы, регистрация BACSA как юридическое лицо и выпуск и распространение материалов Симпозиума Бурсы
Одобряет предлажение для регионального проекта “Улучшение возможностей получения доходов , основанных на возрождению шелководства и развитию маленьких шелковых предприятии в Восточной Европе и Центральной Азии”
Дает полномочии председателю БАКСы входить в контакт с возможными донорами чтобы финансировать регионального проекта “Улучшение возможностей получения доходов , основанных на возрождению шелководства и развитию маленьких шелковых предприятии в Восточной Европе и Центральной Азии”
Одобряет региональный минипроект: " Сравнительное испытывание коммерческих гибридов тутового шелкопряда в странах региона Черного, Каспииского морей и Центральной Азии” и рекомендует ко всем заинтересованным странам БАКСы, принять участия.
Предлагает следующие центры где состоится испытание гибридов: 1)Опытнаястанция шелководства, Враца, Болгария; 2) Институт шелководства, Гянджа, Азербайджан; 3 ) Институт шелководства, Ташкент, Узбекистан.
Решает организовать следующей исполнительной встречи БАКСы в гор. Враце, Болгарии ; Рекомендует переводит по русскии и опубликовать книгу “ SericultureTrainingManual ”