Kaziranga launches online marketplace for fringe community crafts

Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has launched its Eco-Shop on e-commerce platforms and the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), creating an online sales channel for locally made, biodiversity-linked products crafted by fringe communities.Park field director Sonali Ghosh said the initiative reflects Kaziranga’s efforts to connect conservation with livelihoods by promoting products based on traditional skills, local materials and environmentally responsible practices. She said the move is expected to strengthen market access for artisans and producer groups from fringe villages while showcasing the craft heritage of the Kaziranga landscape.“It was therefore a grand success that the Eco Shops managed entirely by Kaziranga Staff Welfare Society, within its 2 years of inception, made a whopping sale of products, which largely benefited the local community,” she said.Ghosh said overall sales in 2024-25 stood at Rs 1.24 crore, rising to Rs 1.87 crore in 2025-2026.“The Eco-Shop features a range of handcrafted, eco-friendly products, including woven articles, textile goods, decorative items, and other livelihood-based creations made by community members. The community-led products that are popular with the visitors include - handloom, woodcraft, edibles (pickles and honey) and water hyacinth products that are eco-friendly and carry the unique Kaziranga signature. It is pertinent to mention that under the Ministry of Textiles- SAMARTH scheme, over 300 women benefited from the skilling workshop, and the products woven by them see a ready market in the eco shops,” Ghosh said.The field director said a key highlight is the incorporation of traditional animal motifs into textiles and the use of natural dyes derived from locally available wild resources.“By linking these products to popular online marketing stores such as e-commerce platform and GeM, the initiative aims to provide artisans with improved visibility, consistent demand, and broader customer outreach,” she added.