Call for value addition of Naga forest products

Mokokchung, March 2 (MExN): MACROFED Chairman, Dr M Chuba Ao undertook a two-day interactive tour to six VDVK (Van Dhan Vikas Kendra) centres under Mokokchung district where he interacted with the trainees and highlighted them about the upcoming exhibition to be held tentatively during the end of March or April first week at Dimapur.

The MACROFED Chairman, who is also the BJP National Vice-President, encouraged the VDVKs to be prepared and take the unique opportunity to produce their products at the Exhibition programme which will be organised by TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GOI in collaboration with MACROFED, Nagaland. The programme will be sponsored by Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship under Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, GOI, stated a press release by Media & IT Cell, BJP Mokokchung district.

During the interactive session at the different VDVK centres, Dr M Chuba pointed out that the Van Dhan Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED.  It was launched on April 14, 2018 and seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of tribal products. 

He said that Nagas, as tribal community with rich natural resources, get enough materials from their environment and forest products for their sustenance. However, these forest products need ‘value addition, branding and marketing’ so that the people can get the maximum profit and at the same time create self-employment avenues in the society.

In this regard, he expressed great satisfaction at the seven VDVKs under Mokokchung districts where the trainees are running food producing units using the available agricultural and forest products in the area. However, he advised the VDVKs to register their products with the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) so that their products can be marketed all over the country and even in foreign countries. He also encouraged the trainees to focus, apart from regular agricultural practices, on cultivating easily available crops like sesame seeds or millets which have high value in the market after ‘value addition’ like sesame seed oil or ‘ragi powder’ from millet. He said that MACROFED, Nagaland through the VDVKs will explore every possible ways and means to promote the farmers so that the rural populace would become more prosperous and self-reliant.  

The centres which the MACROFED chairman visited were: Changtongya VDVK (camp Akhoya), Anitit VDVK (camp Chuchuyimlang), Aonglenden VDVK (camp Ungma), Tribes VDVK (camp Mokokchung town), Aoer VDVK (camp Ungma) and Sumedem VDVK (camp Mokokchung town). 

Dr M Chuba informed that there are 57 VDVK centres all over Nagaland and all the centres are expected to participate in the upcoming mega exhibition to be held in Dimapur.