The Deputy Commissioner Shri. Abhinav Kumar, IAS today inaugurated the Natural & Craft Mart, an SHG outlet set up by the District Mission Management Unit (DMMU), Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS), West Jaintia Hills within the premises of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Jowai, with the aim of providing a dedicated market platform for products made by Self Help Groups (SHGs) and rural entrepreneurs.
The programme was also attended by Chief Operating Officer, Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society Shri Shanlang Lyngdoh, Project Director, DRDA and Nodal Officer DMMU Smt.B. Blah, State Mission Managers, representatives of Line Departments, CLFS, VOS, SHGs and community cadres.
Deputy Commissioner Shri. Abhinav Kumar Singh congratulated the Project Director, the DM and the entire team for the initiative. He said the occasion marked a significant milestone in improving the livelihood of the people particularly by making the district’s natural and authentic products available at a single location.
He further said that the Natural & Craft Mart would serve as one stop sources for authentic products, conveniently located in the heart of the district. He urged the SHGs to ensure the regular availability of products and maintain sufficient variety. He also stressed the importance of promoting the products and said that the team of the DC’s office along with the MSRLS would extend the necessary support to strengthen the livelihoods of the SHGs while ensuring that customers have access to authentic local products.
Project Director, DRDA and Nodal Officer DMMU Smt. B Blah appreciated the efforts of all SHG and acknowledged their hard work in and promoting local products. She said that many products from West Jaintia Hills remain relatively unknown to consumers due to the lack of the proper platform and information on where they can be purchased. She expressed hope that the Natural & Craft Mart would help create greater awareness of local products and provide SHGs with better opportunities to market their product.
Chief Operating Officer, MSRLS, Shanlang Lyngdoh emphasises the importance of customer focus stressing the need for regular availability, quality and authenticity of the products showcased at the outlet. He said plans are underway for PGS certification and barcode-based traceability to assure customers of the quality and origin of the products. He also encouraged local residents to visit the outlet and taste the products.
District Mission Manager, MSRLS R Shadap, in his welcome address, said that the opening of the Natural & Craft Mart was not merely the opening of an outlet but an important step towards creating a sustainable market platform for our Self-Help Groups and rural entrepreneurs. He informed that the SHGs across the district are producing a wide range of products, including Lakadong Turmeric, Red Rice Tea, honey, spices, processed food, traditional products and handicrafts. However, he emphasised that production alone was not enough as SHGs also needed access to a reliable market.
The Natural & Craft Mart, he said,was an effort to bridge that gap by providing a dedicated space where SHG products can be displayed, promoted and sold and urged the SHG members and CLFS to take ownership by maintaining the product quality, improving packaging and branding, and understanding customer needs. He added that the vision was to ensure that products from the district reach wider markets and create sustainable income opportunities for rural women.
Kynsai Kharkongor, DFS SISD highlighted the contribution of over 5000 Self-help Groups, 284 Village Organisations (VOs) and 25 Village Federation (VLFs) in the field of health, livelihood and nutrition. He said that their initiatives including natural farming, and convergence with government departments have contributed significantly to local development. While the vote of thanks was delivered by W Pale DFS, Non-farm.
