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 UNIDO has been dealing with specific problems of the leather industry since its early years, when the organization operated as the Industrial Development Centre within the UNITED NATIONS Secretariat in New York. Soon after the establishment of UNIDO (1966) and the setting up of its Headquarters in Vienna (1967), the Light Industry Section was organized (1969) and a leather technologist was employed as a staff member responsible for coordinating technical assistance. This was primarily implemented under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funding as part of individual country programmes. Initially, the main focus of UNIDO’s interventions was hides and skins improvement, tannery operations upgrade, and establishment and strengthening of leather development centres. The footwear and leather products industries of developing countries gained increasing attention, and in 1971 an additional specialist was employed to look after projects in these parts of the world. The UNIDO leather programme was formulated and implemented through the Leather Unit, consisting of one to three staff members at the time, within the Light Industry Section (reorganized later as Agro-based Industry Branch, presently operating within the Programme Development and Technical Assistance Department – PTC, Agro-industries and Agri-Business Development Support Branch – AGR, Textiles and Leather Unit – TLU).
The value of technical assistance projects implemented in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as – though to a limited extent – in centrally planned economy countries (today countries with transitional economy) has been US$ 78 million, i.e. an average of US$ 3.89 million/year between 1989 and 2008. These projects have focused on improving capabilities and performance in the collection of hides and skins, in leather processing (tanning), and in the manufacture of footwear and other leather products (such as leather goods, gloves, leather garment, upholstery and sports goods). While these projects were primarily funded by UNDP until the late 1970s, the vast majority of technical assistance has been financed through special purpose contributions offered by UNIDO donor member states during the past two decades.
The four decades of the UNIDO leather-based industry development programme covered the following areas:
- Providing direct assistance to industrial units (primarily private, small- and medium-scale enterprises, or SMEs) in evaluating business opportunities, finding or establishing markets (niches), building product ranges, improving production methods and product quality, enhancing productivity, and developing labour and managerial skills.
- Developing human resources by:
- elaborating and implementing comprehensive professional training systems;
- establishing and/or rehabilitating national, (sub)regional and international training-cum-service institutions;
- implementing experts meetings, workshops, seminars and special training courses in design, technology and management related areas;
- initiating, organizing and monitoring cooperation among training, service and Research & Development centres operating in developing and industrialized countries.
- Environmental protection and pollution control directly related to leather processing and leather products manufacturing through the:
- Implementation of cleaner tanning methods such as hair-save unhairing, float recycling and/or chrome recovery, improved efficiency of dyeing and finishing, use of safe chemicals/auxiliaries, reducing salinity etc.
- Waste minimization and conversion of solid wastes into saleable by-products.
- Design, construction, and operation of tannery Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) with particular emphasis on common, low cost systems for SME clusters (CETPs).
- Handling and safe disposal of solid wastes and sludge.
- Promotion of the eco-labelling concept.
- Preparation of publications and maintaining databases of leather-related marketing and trade, design and product development, technology, pollution control, information sources and quality requirements, as well as training opportunities.
- Integration of social aspects (gender development, occupational health, safety at work) in technical assistance activities.
- Maintain the dialogue with, and support of, the world leather-based industry sub-sector through the Leather Panel Meetings.
The Main features of the UNIDO Leather Unit’s operations since its inception are:
- technical orientation in formulation and execution/implementation of assistance programmes addressing problems on the "shop-floor level" and offering practical solutions in product development, technology, production control and marketing;
- integrated programme approach on the global, sub/regional and national level in addressing the actual needs of developing countries in technical assistance, i.e. providing services dealing not only with the mainstream of the technology, but also giving sufficient attention to the sectoral strategies, (physical and human) infrastructure, support industries, environment protection (including legislation), marketing and management;
- output orientation providing visible and measurable results in the assisted production units and institutions;
- direct involvement of staff members in projects by performing specific expert's jobs (i.e. working as consultants) as well as authors/lecturers in international scientific meetings, congresses etc;
- pilot solutions that bring about the much needed multiplication effect and that are applicable beyond the direct recipients' plants;
- extensive training of recipients of TA in different forms: on-the-job, national/regional, workshops, panel discussions;practical technical papers, manuals, guides, and studies on specific issues in the sector.
Ivan KRÁL
Project Coordinator
UNIDO
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