India's largest online marketplace Snapdeal on Thursday announced a partnership with University of California, Berkeley for the Andhra Pradesh government's Smart Village Project.
With the objective of discovering economical and infrastructural barriers faced by artisans in these villages, UC Berkeley and Snapdeal are aiming to create viable solutions through digitization and new-age services.
Under the partnership, Snapdeal will provide local handloom weavers, direct market access to buyers across the country, through its platform.
Products crafted by these artisans and associations will be curated and listed on a special page on Snapdeal. The company has currently on-boarded the handloom association of Meri Podu village as a seller.
"We are proud to partner with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and UC Berkeley, enabling digital access and generating a world of commercial opportunities for small artisans. Working with a vibrant base of three lakh sellers of various sizes, we continue to drive inclusive growth and in-sync development," said SVP Business Team, Vishal Chadha.
"Through this collaboration, we aim to create employment and growth opportunities for local artisans, enhancing the reach of indigenously manufactured products to newer geographies and extending their legacy," added Vishal Chadha.