Made in Madagascar: Exporting Handicrafts to the U.S. Market

There has been renewed interest in expanding Madagascar’s handicrafts industry in recent years.  This focus on handicrafts is part of the current government’s strategy to strengthen key economic sectors that hold potential for creating employment opportunities in both rural and urban communities.  Malagasy handicraft producers have already been successful selling in local markets and to buyers in Europe and are now looking for ways to enter new and larger markets, the United States in particular.  The objective of the workshop was to evaluate Madagascar’s handicrafts industry and provide recommendations on how producers could enter the U.S. market.  The SIPA team interviewed Malagasy artisan producers, international development agencies, product experts, potential U.S. buyers, and other stakeholders both in Madagascar and New York.