Raphael Warjri

Shillong, 08 July 2024: The National Commission for Women in collaboration with Meghalaya Biodiversity Board today organized a two day Regional Capacity Building Workshop and Conference on "Promoting Entrepreneurship among Indigenous Women of North East Region based on Non Timber Forest Produce" at the  State Convention Centre, Shillong.

Addressing the gathering Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Smt. Rekha Sharma informed that the Commission has started the new initiative of NCW of capacity building of tribal women who reside around the forest to start their business or work in their area of Non Timber Forest Produce.

 She also said this is one of the new initiatives which NCW is taking up specially for the North Eastern Women since there is a huge forest cover and women can increase their income by working in this area.  She also said the expected outcomes are development of strategies for market integration and adoption of relevant technologies to enhance business operations and market reach, identifying bottlenecks and creation of detailed action plans to overcome value chain challenges, enhancement of efficiency and profitability, generation of innovative ideas and actionable plans for diversifying income streams, enhancing economic resilience and sustainability and to create a collaborative environment for promoting NTFP-based entrepreneurship among indigenous women in the North Eastern Region (NER).

The participants for the workshop include cultivators, collectors, healers and traders of traditional medicine, Folk healers, SHGs, NTFP collectors, farmers. The conference will also bring together key stakeholders from various sectors, including State Women Commissions, line departments such as Forest, AYUSH, and subject matter experts, to develop actionable plans and strategies and to foster sustainable economic development through NTFP-based entrepreneurship.

The event was also graced by Shri R.S. Gill, PCCF, and HoFF, Smt. Meenakshi Negi, Member Secretary, NCW and officials from the state government.