Pandemic prompts Moroccan handicraft industry to go online

by Johan Burger

The Covid-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the handicraft industry in Morocco, as well as other sectors of the economy. To help artisans sell their products online and reduce the impact of the pandemic, the Moroccan Ministry of Handicrafts recently concluded an agreement with the Jumia e-commerce platform. This will enable local craftspeople to use Jumia’s digital platform to market their products and gain access to millions of online consumers, benefitting from Jumia’s wide distribution network, logistics capabilities, electronic payment system, and support services.

The agreement supports the handicraft trade, artisans, cooperatives and small businesses operating in the sector. This is an important sector that employs 20% of the workforce in Morocco's workforce, encourages the growth of SMEs, and promotes regional development in a sector that contributes 7% to the country's GDP. Approximately 80% of the artisans working in the handcrafting sector in Morocco are women.^[1]