A Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Hub has been set up for Meghalaya to help farmers and villagers improve their income and livelihood.
According to sources, the STI Hub being established at Umsawli village of East Khasi Hills district is aimed at utilisation and adaptation of traditional knowledge, resources and technological advances in post-harvest management and nutrition for empowering children, women and youth in the State.
Under the supervision of Dr. Melari Shisha Nongrum of Martin Luther Christian University, the project is being implemented in Ri-Bhoi and East Khasi Hills and benefiting the tribal population of at least 200 villages in Umling, Umsning and Mylliem blocks.
The technologies adapted in the hub are aimed at reducing the wastage of agricultural produce by doing value addition.
Apart from reducing food waste, the unemployed youth and women will be trained and capacity building programmes would be conducted in a phased manner to enhance their skills so that they can eventually sustain and manage these processing units. The skills range from food processing to management and marketing of the units.
The food products use local nutritious food crops and are aimed at solving malnutrition problems in children aged six months to one year, one year to three years and above three years.
The aim is to have a nano village-based processing unit with unemployed women having nano home based processing units for making these products for the local schools or sale in the communities.
