Building a skill set rather than mastering single skill

A 30-day ‘hand embroidery’ skill development programme (SDP) for women has recently been concluded by NABARD’s Arunachal Pradesh regional office in remote Kharsang, Changlang and nearby villages.

The prime focus of the project was to impart a skill set which encompasses  sourcing, craft and marketing strategy to 30 unemployed women of Kharsang, Chanarglang and nearby villages in Arunachal.The programme was conducted by NGO Bethel Life Care Charitable Trust (BLCCT) and sponsored by the regional office of National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) Arunachal Pradesh.

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.”

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 product, right from procurement of raw material to delivery of the final product at the ultimate consumers’ doorsteps,” he said.

Pandemic has made it ever so necessary to acquire new market skills in order to sustain in the business and it is about time primary producers involved in off-farm activities such as handlooms, handicrafts, artisan products and agro-processing get the hang of what current circumstances demand.Similar skill-based training programs are afoot in the other parts of Northeast region to prepare the youth for challenging times.

Cover image by Arunachal24