Dimapur, December 4 (MExN): The state women development department’s Nagaland Pavilion, is home with a gold medal for excellence in the recent 28th India International Trade Fair, 2008 in New Delhi.
The pavilion, with the objective to showcase the capabilities and potential of Naga women, saw selected products on display and sale from women self-help groups, school dropout and women from difficult circumstances and women entrepreneurs from the state. The handloom and handicrafts products at the fair were made by women who are untrained artisans but have acquired skills passed down over the ages.
The Union Minister of State for Commerce & Power, who visited the Nagaland pavilion is said to have been much impressed by the products and overall display. The organizers say modestly: “Though the participation of the state in the IITF this year was not so much with the intention of winning an award but to build the capacity of our womenfolk by promoting their products and creating market linkages for them, the state pavilion was, nonetheless, awarded with the gold medal for the North-East state pavilion adjudged first for excellence in display”. The award ceremony was held at the Shakuntalam Theatre in Pragati Maidan on the November 27.
The organizers said less emphasis was on sales this time, a departure from previous years, and the pavilion aimed at attracting investors as well as build business and market linkages. The items were mainly produced by women and have the potential of being marketed on larger-scale for products such as processed fruits, spices, medicinal and aromatic plants, natural honey and secondly, creating a niche market for handicrafts, loom products, fresh and dry flowers.
“Since in Nagaland we have so many diverse customs as well as practices of cooking, the culinary art remains largely disorganized and too varied to be presented to the outside world in a standardized form” the department said. In an attempt to amalgamate the various tribal dishes into a common Naga cuisine and expose it to the rest of the world, the department initiated a project “capacity building for women on Naga cuisine and catering”.
As part of this project, the ‘Green Kitchen Society’ comprising of several women talented in the art of Naga culinary practice, was started to improvise on the various Naga dishes.
This was to be, without compromising on the authentic and original ingredients, taste and aroma. Towards this objective, a restaurant run by the Green Kitchen serving authentic Naga food was opened in the pavilion, the organizers said. Also, later after the fair a dinner was held “to test and analyse the palatability of Naga cuisine on a wider spectrum of consumers”. A feedback sheet was distributed among the guests to assess their response. The preparations received much “accolades” and commendations from the guests and even from international parties including representatives from embassies of Japan, Thailand, Germany, France, Italy, Syria, Philippines as well as Chefs from reputed Hotels in New Delhi, the organizers of the pavilion said.
“During the entire two week affair, much interest was generated among the visitors on the products on sale and exhibition and, also, especially on the interior set-up and display. The response of the visitors to the Nagaland pavilion was overwhelming judging by the comments in the Visitor’s Book and a few constructive suggestions were also given. Business contacts with several private companies and firms were created and officials from various ministries and sponsoring agencies have shown great concern and interest towards developing and empowering women of the state through the SHG movement” the organizers said. Further, the department said, a lot of attention was also drawn towards honey products, medicinal and aromatic oils among others while numerous queries were put up by several pharmaceutical companies and other related firms.
The success of the pavilion would, however, not have been possible without the active participation and support from various departments, parties and individuals, the department said and expressed gratitude to one and all who contributed to the initiative.
