GUWAHATI: After providing technical expertise and marketing linkage to farmers and entrepreneurs across Assam, a city-based NGO is exploring a similar tie-up across the Northeast to promote value-added products outside the region under a common brand.
The NGO, Satej Axom has already made a preliminary viability assessment in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh and found ample scope for adding value to the spices, vegetables and fruits produced in the states.
“We have visited farms in Meghalaya and Arunachal, studied their methods of production and also the issues they face so that the requisite corrective measures could be provided. The long-term plan is to source organically-produced vegetables, spices and fruits and traditionally woven attire and craft and market them outside the Northeast, possibly under a common brand,” Satej Axom’s president Bandip Dutta told The Shillong Times on Saturday.
Registered three years back, the NGO has a core team of 14 members and over 2,000 farmers across the state. It is backed up by a team of experienced people in the field of agriculture and organic farming.
“Our members are currently interacting with farmers at Wahlang in Meghalaya and Roing and some other places in Arunachal Pradesh where we found one of the finest qualities of ginger. We plan to visit Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur for a similar study in the coming months,” Dutta said.
The NGO has so far empowered five women self-help groups in Kamrup (metro), Kamrup (rural), Jorhat, Tinsukia and Nalbari districts of Assam.
“Apart from enhancing farmers’ incomes we have empowered five women SHGs across Assam. These women have been engaged primarily in weaving activities,” he said.
Funds, however, are a constraint for setting up outlets even in the city at present.
“Once we have the ground work done and the items sourced and processed, we are going to promote the products online. The long term goal of having brick and mortar stores, preferably outside Northeast where there is substantial demand for organic food and traditional items, is there but only after we have the resources,” Dutta said.
