BGC
MEET
BGC
Pioneering the integration of
handicrafts and agriculture
for development
The Nexus of
Handicrafts & Agriculture
Where there is one there is the other.
Working together strengthens both.
A Note From Our Director . . .
Having worked for the past 30 years with artisans across the globe I have seen that handicrafts move people out of poverty — building homes and sending their kids to school and universities, building communities.
But what has amazed me most has been the level of disregard for the power of this sector, handicrafts, to be a valuable driver for development. The basket makers of Senegal or Ghana send hundreds of containers of baskets around the world every year. They support their communities during draughts and poor harvests, and have the funds to fight climate change impacts.
This is why I am shifting our focus to energizing this synergy between agriculture and handicrafts — because it already exists and it works! I wish I had made the connection many years ago. But it is not too late. I have a great team and we are ready to work with you to create income-generating programs that will change lives.
Thank you,
Elaine Bellezza
The artisan sector is the second largest employer
in the developing world after agriculture.
We create market-ready collections and connect artisans with global markets, generating year-round income.
Artisan entrepreneurs
access scalable global markets, driving regional collaboration and economic growth.
THE NEXUS:
A BALANCED ECOSYSTEM
Food Systems are the backbone of rural communities.
Agriculture supplies food.
Handicrafts generates year-round income.
Building on rural ecosystems — working on handicrafts and food systems together in a single project — can strengthen both at the same time
Agriculture and handicrafts have existed side by side in rural communities for millenia.
Leveraging this Nexus can be a driver for a stronger ROI
and transform programs into engines of lasting self-sufficiency.
We'd love to discuss possibilities with you.