Designing Digital Sustainable Futures: Crafting through COVID-19 crisis

This challenge-led research project is designed to tackle the effects of COVID-19 crisis on craft communities in Uzbekistan, deeply affected by the lack of the digitalisation of the sector, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the sector which has been systemically compromised by the pandemic, and to create a roadmap for other countries facing similar issues. This project will codesign digital solutions to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 on craft activities and produce a more resilient and inclusive social, cultural and economic community-based ecosystem. In collaboration with local research partners and a specialised IT organisation, we will create an easy-to-use, low cost, digital ecosystem to provide access to markets, socially connect craft communities, share craft masters' knowledge, and value Uzbekistan's diverse cultural heritage which is at risk of being lost.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many governments, including Uzbekistan, to go into lockdown. According to the Uzbek Statistics Office, the pandemic is severely impacting the craft sector, especially in rural areas, where there has been an increase in the number of unemployed and people living in poverty, endangering the future survival of craft enterprises.

Lockdowns and travel bans removed craft communities' main sources of income, disrupted the supply chains and challenged the apprentice system.
In our "GCRF Urgency fund: COVID-19 focussed research proposals", we conducted a survey among 800 craftmakers in Uzbekistan, as there are no official statistics on the craft sector. Two-thirds of respondents are considering closing production, 80% have seen their income decrease during the pandemic and more than 40% do not believe they can survive more than 12 weeks. Thus, Uzbek craft is on the verge of collapsing, with the threat that an entire generation of craftmakers will stop producing and stop sharing craft knowledge, if urgent action is not taken to support, preserve and value its inestimable intangible heritage. Developing a digital ecosystem has been identified by our pilot project as the most promising solution to support craftmakers during the crisis, and create pathways of recovery for the uncertain post-pandemic scenarios. This is urgently required.
The project will produce a networked cultural craft-based infrastructure supporting the integration of stakeholders, who are currently disconnected. The digital intervention will consist of a digital library, training courses, a digital salon, mentoring for female-led craft enterprises, and an e-commerce application. The digital ecosystem will fulfill four specific roles providing: 1) access to local and international markets enabling the craft masters to secure an income stream during the COVID-19 crisis; 2) a resource that will ensure the survival of the knowledge and traditions for heritage preservation and valuation; 3) an inclusive and sustainable platform for craftmakers' digital storytelling, including a digital salon for female masters; and 4) a new network to engage with customers, students and other craftmakers.

The project will also produce an innovative business model for the platform to ensure long-term longevity, community involvement, committed management, and a community-based profit-sharing approach after project conclusion. Using digital tools to solve this urgent problem is aligned with the Uzbek Government's priorities on digitalisation of the economy and on the recovery plans for small enterprises. Uzbekistan only began to develop digital solutions and create the necessary infrastructures in 2016, and to signal the importance of digital economy, the Uzbek President declared 2020 the year of digitalisation.
This project will support the craft sector in Uzbekistan first, and will be cascaded to other ODA countries through a strategic partnership with the British Council programme "Crafting Futures", through the roadmap that will be produced at the project's conclusion.