Srinagar, Oct. 29 -- A toolkit can replace worn-out equipment and a training programme can pass knowledge from one generation to another. But neither can answer the question confronting Kashmir's handicrafts sector: can traditional crafts continue to provide a livelihood in a market shaped by machine-made products, changing consumer preferences and shrinking returns for manual work? The future of the sector depends not only on preserving craft traditions but also on ensuring that the people behind them can survive and prosper.

Recent support for skill development and the distribution of improved toolkits is a recognition that traditional crafts require sustained investment. It acknowledges that knowledge passed through generations cannot...