Jowai, Jul 30: A capacity-building training programme was held at the Amlarem Block Office Hall under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
The event, organised by the State Rural Employment Society (SRES), aimed to strengthen Scheduled Tribe Gram Panchayats by enhancing awareness on sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood opportunities through Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs).
Over 60 participants from villages including Mupyut, Darang, Nongtalang, Dawki, Syndai, Sohkha, and others took part in the training.
The programme covered vital themes such as village-level forest planning, participatory resource mapping, afforestation strategies, and climate change adaptation. Sessions on value addition included training on processing, branding, packaging, and marketing of NTFPs like bamboo, medicinal plants, honey, and wild edibles. Participants were also sensitized to the benefits of fair trade, e-commerce access, and cooperative-based retail models.
The training highlighted the importance of empowering local communities to become stewards of their natural resources, while equipping them with modern tools and knowledge to link conservation with economic growth.
The next sessions of the training are scheduled for July 31 and August 5 to build grassroots leadership and promote sustainable development in tribal areas.
