KHARSANG, 24 Sep: The 30-day skill development programme (SDP) on ‘hand embroidery’ for 30 unemployed women of Kharsang, Changlang and nearby villages concluded here on Friday with the giving away of certificates to the trainees.
The programme was conducted by NGO Bethel Life Care Charitable Trust (BLCCT) and sponsored by the NABARD’s Arunachal Pradesh regional office.
NABARD DDM Kamal Roy advised the SHGs’ members to make unique items which can be marketed in the local area, adding that “the long-term objective is to promote and nurture off-farm producers’ organization (OFPO) out of the trained entrepreneurs.”
He informed that an OFPO is a legal entity formed by primary producers involved in off-farm activities such as handlooms, handicrafts, artisan products, agro-processing, etc.
“Though the primary producers have some basic skill in producing, they generally need training support for production of quality products and marketing. The OFPO will basically bridge this gap and take over the responsibility of any one or more activities in the value chain of the produce, right from procurement of raw material to delivery of the final product at the ultimate consumers’ doorsteps,” he said.
TBCA executive secretary Wangtum Wanglee requested the NABARD to support similar skill-based training for the unemployed youths of the region.
BLCCT president Chandan Prasad enumerated the opportunities available in the embroidery sector for rural women, and TBCA women secretary Theknan Lungphi spoke about the “scope and importance of skill development that would enhance the socioeconomic status of rural masses, especially women entrepreneurs.”
On the same day, a NABARD-supported MEDP on ‘food processing and bakery’ also concluded in Miao. Thirty members of different SHGs participated in the training programme.
