Eco Friendly Art for Socioeconomic Empowerment: A Qualitative Study of Women Artisans and Eco-Friendly Micro-Enterprises in Peri-Urban Karnataka

Though they possess extensive traditional craft skills, the cost of transactions to the larger markets is a higher constraint for rural women artisans, and this impacts their income generation and financial security. As digital technologies and online commerce have become increasingly widespread, online marketplaces are seen as a potential way of increasing market scope and enhancing economic outcomes. This study emphasises women artisans of peri-urban areas who are engaged in producing eco-friendly handicrafts like water-hyacinth-based crafts, and how this can be supplemented by digital entrepreneurship as a source of income. While some past work has focused on women’s entrepreneurship or digital commerce, few works have looked at the role of digital marketplaces as an empowering tool for rural eco-artisans producing sustainable products. Qualitative phenomenological research was used, drawing on primary and secondary data; semi-structured interviews with rural women artisans were used to collect data. The results show that artisans are highly dependent on the training organisation for marketing and selling their products, and that the absence of digital awareness and agency also hinders them from selling their products themselves. The study underscores the need for training of women artisans and institutional support to improve their digital skills so that they can play an active role in the digital economy. This study contributes to the existing literature on sustainable rural development by demonstrating the positive impact of training on women’s economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods. The findings show that there is room for improvement in supporting rural women entrepreneurs in the long run, through investment in digital literacy programmes, capacity building, and specific policy measures.