TARA TEAM FOR BURKINA FASO
A Report

The Government of India had gifted to Burkina Faso 50 TARA handlooms with accessories in 1990.  Subsequently the ministry of external affairs deputed a three member team from TARA, for a duration a three member team from TARA, for a duration of 45 days, to set up the equipment and train the local weavers.  Accordingly the team comprising Anand Dharwar, textile engineer, Babu Ram, master weaver and Ramesh Pal, mechanical supervisor-cum-carpenter left for Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.  Mrs. Marcelline Sawadago, the co-ordinator of UAP-Gode centre in Ouagadougou and Mr. Sunder Gurbani, an Indian resident in Ouagadougou, received the team and made necessary arrangements for accommodating its members.

On December 6, 1993, the team met Christoff M Ottara, the director general of the department of family and social action, and discussed the modalities of fulfilling the tasks which were to set up the equipment and train the local weavers to use it.

Sufficient covered space to house all the equipment was sought to be made  available as well as fitters, mechanises and carpenters to work with team in setting up the equipment.  Sufficient raw material to start the training programmes was provided.

All the necessary arrangements were made to start the work at UAP-Gode centre.  Mrs.  Marcelline Sawadago, the co-ordinator of the centre was designated as the contact person of the team which met the 19 ladies working at the centre and explained to them the mission. The ladies were enthusiastic and six of them were selected to undergo training.  Each trainee was a weaver with a minimum of 10-12 years experience with a consistently high earning capacity. The plan was that these six would train the others.

The training of the weavers commenced with bobbin winding. The cotton yearn taken by the team from India was would up on bobbins by the trainees and warped by them under the supervision of the team.  The various steps involved in the warping procedure were demonstrated time and again and each trainee was encouraged to try her hand.  After a few false starts all the six were able to master the technique.  The warp was would on to the warp beam and taken for drawing and denting.  The trainees took turns and completed the work.

On December 14, 1993, the first loom was commissioned for weaving.  The trainees cheered when they saw the fabric being produced effortlessly.

Each trainee was made to work on the loom and learn to ply and fly shuttle and co-ordinate the movement of the hands and legs to complete the cycle of shedding, picking and beating up.  The progress was slow but steady and by December 21 all the six could co-ordinate their body movement with the loom. The progress of the trainees was kept track of by timing their pick insertion rate which ranged between 40 and 65 per minute. This was very encouraging.  The trainer Mr. Babu Ram could sustain 90 pick per minute over the day.  It is important to note here that the progress of the trainees was made possible due to their previous weaving experience.  A set of fresh trainees would have taken 3-4 months to attain the same level of expertise.

The correct method to knot up broken warp ends, the need to curt away the tail pieces in a knot which otherwise would hinder the shedding operation were stressed and the trainees made to practice their basic skills.  Along with the training in weaving operations, the rest of the equipment had to be set up.  But sufficient shed space was not available.

The team leader stressed that the equipment needed to be covered by a roof which the local authorities have assured would be provided before the onset of the monsoon.  Thus the 50 TARA looms, the 20 pirn winders and the 4 warping machines have been erected at the centre, 70 percent of the equipment being installed in the open.

The success of the trainees in weaving on the TARA loom emboldened them to invest their own funds for the warp and weft.  Each of the trainees prepared her own warp according to her design, the mounted it on the TARA loom assigned to her. All the necessary tieing up, connection, etc. were established with the warp and the trainees continued to practice their skills.  They found that they could sell what they produced without too much effort.  The productivity was of the order of 5-6 meters every eight hours and good quality fabric was being produced by each of them by the first week of January ‘94.

The trainees were interested in being trained to weave intricate designs involving multiple treadles, dobby and jacquard.  Since the last two named items were not available in Burkina Faso, the team introduced a four treadle weave of zig zag twill.  Initially, the trainees would not follow the treading order.  However, after observation, one of the trainees was able to get a hang of it and was thus able to inspire other trainees in weaving the twill.  Now all the other five have learnt to weave the twill.

The training was completed on January 15, 1994.
There is still much work to be done:

1 Textile related technologies: Burkina Faso produces good quality cotton which is partially used in making yarn, with the majority being exported without much value addition.  The cost of local mill-produced cotton yarn is very high, averaging US $ 8 too $ 9 per kilogram.  Similar count of yarn produced in India averages about $ 2 per kilogram.  The KVIC type of spinning equipment, with a few modification, can be introduced in Burkina Faso to create further employment opportunities. This would also reduce the cost of the spun yarn thus benefiting the local textile industry and ultimately the people.

The quality of local dyeing is very poor.  The colours are not fast.  The local weavers will benefit if proper dyeing and processing are taught.

Design weaves command a better price in the local market. The introduction of multi-treadle (up to 10 treadles weaves, dobby and jacquard equipment will increase the range of the produce and enable the Burkinabe weaver increase his earning capacity.

2 Other technologies: The traditional building techniques use the local soil making adobe blocks for the walls and G.I.sheets for the roof. The adobe blocks tend to develop vertical cracks and the C.I sheets make the houses unliveable during the summer months. The cement and RCC technology for building are out of the reach of the common Burkinabe.  The local soil is laterite and can be made into good compressed, stabilised and blocks which then could make affordable shelters besides generating employment.  The TARA Balram soil press could be an effective tool for the transformation of the local  economy.

The local building industry could also benefit if exposed to other cost effective building techniques like filler slab roofing, random rubble masonry, regeneration of traditional architectural forms like arches, domes, jack-arches, vaults. etc. and Development Alternatives can play a vital role in this transformation.

The land is arid, sandy type with no water retaining capacity.  The water table is between 30 and 60 meters.  Better agroforestry techniques which would help in retaining moisture besides improving the soil would help in agriculture related activities. The expertise of Development Alternatives in water recharge systems, afforestation using local species, etc. would definitely benefit the local populace.

It is suggested that:

A two member team of weavers who have proved their aptitude, should be invited from Burkina Faso to India to undergo a six month extensive training programme in spinning of cotton yarn, dyeing of cotton yarn, weaving of cotton fabrics, and be made familiar with design weaves by means of multi-treadles, dobbies and jacquards.  These trained weavers would then become the key personnel who can play a vital role in developing the local textile industry.

A two member team of builders from Burkina Faso be invited to India for orientation course in cost effective building techniques.  These trained personnel would then be able to revitalize the local shelter related industry.

A suitable strategy for extending cooperation in agriculture related activities be developed which would benefit the Burkinabe people; an exchange programme with Indian experts participating on a long term basis should be considered.

Postscript:  On their way home from Burkina Faso, the team members got held up by rebels.  A rebellion broke out in Lome (Togo) which was one of their stops end route.  Since Lome airport was shut down, the team took the route via Accra and on the way to it, the bus passed through a belt of a beautiful dense rain forest, an experience, that filled them with a sense of wonder.  The Burkina Faso return journey is not one they are likely to  forget.

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