Shillong: The National Commission for Women (NCW), in collaboration with the Meghalaya Biodiversity Board, inaugurated a two-day Regional Capacity Building Workshop and Conference on “Promoting Entrepreneurship among Indigenous Women of the North East Region Based on Non-Timber Forest Produce” at the State Convention Centre, Shillong.
Addressing the gathering, NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma highlighted the new initiative aimed at empowering tribal women residing near forests to start their own businesses or work in the field of Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP).
“This initiative is particularly focused on the North Eastern women due to the vast forest cover in the region, which presents a significant opportunity for women to increase their income through NTFP,” Sharma stated.
She outlined the expected outcomes of the workshop, which include:
- Developing strategies for market integration and adopting relevant technologies to enhance business operations and market reach.
- Identifying bottlenecks and creating detailed action plans to overcome value chain challenges.
- Enhancing efficiency and profitability.
- Generating innovative ideas and actionable plans for diversifying income streams.
- Enhancing economic resilience and sustainability.
- Creating a collaborative environment to promote NTFP-based entrepreneurship among indigenous women in the North Eastern Region (NER).
Participants in the workshop include cultivators, collectors, healers, traders of traditional medicine, folk healers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), NTFP collectors, and farmers. The conference will also bring together key stakeholders from various sectors, including State Women Commissions, line departments such as Forest and AYUSH, and subject matter experts, to develop actionable plans and strategies to foster sustainable economic development through NTFP-based entrepreneurship.
The event was also attended by R.S. Gill, PCCF and HoFF, Meenakshi Negi, Member Secretary of NCW, and officials from the state government.
