Cottage Industries in Western Sudan with Special Reference to Women Handicrafts

Cottage industry constitutes an important sector of the rural economy in the developing
countries. In most of these countries, cottage industry uses locally available resources to provide
rural households with some of their basic needs and contributes significantly to the
household income. Rural development efforts have recently been directed to promoting cottage
industry and other non-farming incarne generating activities, especialy in -the drought affected
areas.

This study attempts to investigate cottage industry in El­ Obeid Area, Northern Kordofan State. The
study focuses on women industries and handicrafts such as food processing, pottery,
textiles, leather works, and dom-palm leaves weaving. Specia1 attention is given to the
supply of raw materials, labour, productivity, and marketing of the products. In addition, the
study examines some of the problems and constraints that hinder the promotion and development
of cottage industry, and presents th role of women ceters in overcoming some of these constraints.

The study is based on data collected from primary as weTI as secondary sources. A field survey has
been conducted in the study area for the collection of primary data using questionnaire
and interview methods. The survey sample consists of hundred