SUJAWA - A severe water scarcity in Sujawal district has led to a decline in the growth of straw and weed, a vital raw material for local artisans. The weed and straw, which grow in ponds and small lakes, is used to craft essential items like mats, baskets, and shelters. Several families in remote areas of Sujawal rely on the water hyacinth and straw craft industry for their livelihood. However, the water shortage has severely impacted their business, similar to the decline in fishing. A middle-aged woman from a Sujawal village, Amina Amro revealed that her family has been making mats from water-weed and straw for generations. She lamented that the current water scarcity has resulted in significant financial losses for them.” She further said that they had to travel long distances in search of weed, however the process of transforming weed into mats and baskets was always cumbersome. Allah Bachayo Jat, a local craftsman, said that people in villages used straw-made shelters to protect their houses from harshness of weather, particularly scorching heat. “The baskets made of weed and straw are used by local farmers for loading wheat and paddy in trucks and bull carts”; he said and added that during the paddy harvesting season they make and sell buckets in local markets of district Sujawal. Another laborer Noor Ahmed said that due to a decline in growth of raw material this year they were unable to earn a substantial amount from this business. The craftsmen from Jati, Daro, Mirpur Bathoro and Chuhar Jamali earn their livelihood through this business. The craftsmen urged concerned authorities to promote this business at a mega level so that poor masses associated with this business can improve their quality of life.