The Taipei-based International Cooperation and Development Fund is helping pottery artists in El Salvador develop a niche industry by improving their marketing strategies, the agency said yesterday.
Under a three-year program that will run through May 2017, the fund is working closely with artists in the town of Ilobasco, El Salvador, said the agency, which carries out the nation’s foreign aid programs.
The “one town, one product” project is aimed at promoting and upgrading the pottery industry in Ilobasco, a town known for its pottery craftsmanship, it said.
“Currently, the program is focusing on improving the packaging and branding techniques” of Salvadoran artists to add value to the ir products, it said.
To create a distinctive industry, the agency said it is also encouraging pottery artists to integrate historical elements of the Mayan culture and the natural resources of the volcanic land when developing unique products.
Under the cooperative program, a group of Taiwanese experts are to travel to Ilobasco at the end of this year or early next year to learn more about the local environment and offer advice on helping local craftsmen improve the pottery industry.
The “one town, one product” concept stems from Taiwan’s own successful experience. Yingge (鶯歌) in New Taipei City is a well-known tourist town that has many factories offering a range of pottery products, from vases and ocarinas — a simple wind instrument shaped like a sweet potato — to teapots and tableware.
In recent years, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has been helping several communities around the nation to develop signature products that will in turn help these communities attract more tourists.
The program in El Salvador follows another similar program launched in 2011, in which Taiwan helped Honduran artists establish a creative and culture-focused pottery industry.
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