Majuli, Feb 18: A three-day hands-on Training of Trainers (ToT) programme titled “Strengthening SHG Entrepreneurship through Value Addition and Market Linkage Mechanisms in Millets” was organised from February 16 to 18 at Majuli, Assam.
The programme was conducted by the DBT-APSCS&T Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Kimin, in collaboration with Ayang Trust. The initiative was undertaken under the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division of the Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India.
The training forms part of a sanctioned project titled “Capacity Building of Rural Women on Processing and Value Addition of Millets/Underutilized Crops through Technology Adoption and Awareness for Nutritional Security in Dadam Village of Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh.” The project aims to enhance the skills and capacities of rural women through technological interventions, value addition practices and awareness generation to promote livelihood opportunities and nutritional security.
Technical sessions were facilitated by Juri Sonowal, Project Coordinator, and Dulumoni Regon, Trainer, from Ayang Trust. The training featured hands-on demonstrations on scientific processing of millets and preparation of value-added products such as foxtail millet cakes, laddoos, millet cookies and millet noodles.
Participants from Dadam village were also trained in hygienic food handling, basic packaging methods, labelling considerations and product presentation strategies tailored for local market linkages.
The programme concluded with a valedictory session and distribution of certificates to participants and resource persons.