NAMSAI, Nov 6: A demonstration on banana chips-making with a banana wafer machine was presented here on Thursday by SHG Namsai Organic Spices & Agricultural Products (NOSAAP) Producer Co Ltd in the presence of NABARD DDM Kamal Roy.
The programme, which comes under the Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP) sponsored by the NABARD, is in the implementation stage by the NOSAAP, in collaboration with the ArSRLM as the implementing partner.
“In a place like Namsai, there is abundance availability of bananas which are sold mostly in raw form to the traders. The one type of banana which is mostly consumed as vegetable, has been selected for banana chips due to its good taste in chips form,” the NABARD informed in a release.
Using the automatic wafer machine, the SHG can slice 200-250 kgs of bananas per hour, which can make the livelihood activity sustainable and profitable. In this process, the NOSAAP will help SHGs in branding, packaging and marketing the products through its outlet in Namsai and other parts of the state.
The NABARD DDM said that “skill upgradation trainings alone have limited impact on livelihood creation among the SHG members, (therefore) it was thought prudent to create sustainable livelihoods among SHG members and to attain optimum benefit out of skill upgradation and scheme titled LEDP launched by the NABARD.”
The banana wafer machine will be handled by SHG Abhilasa, Samuguri, under the ArSRLM, the NABARD informed.
The LEDP is helping 14 SHGs, comprising 150 members, in making various value-added products in standard forms, such as turmeric powder, aloe vera soap, pickles, rice packets, candles, banana chips, and such.
