Dimapur, Dec. 4 (EMN): YouthNet, in association with Nagaland State Co-operative Marketing and Consumers Federation Ltd. (Marcofed) and the state department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, has launched the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) in Tuophema/ Botsa blocks under Kohima district.
VDVK is an initiative of the ministry of Tribal Affairs and Trifed which aimed at generating livelihood for tribals by harnessing the wealth of forest i.e. Van Dhan, an update from YouthNet stated on Friday.
The programme aims at tapping traditional knowledge and skill sets of tribals by adding technology and IT to upgrade it at each stage and to convert the tribal wisdom into a viable economic activity thus transforming them into entrepreneurs.
It stated that a tribal community owned mechanism for marketing of minor forest produce (MFP) centric multi-purpose Van Dhan Vikas Kendras has been set up in Tuophema/ Botsa blocks under Kohima district under the scheme. It added that 10 SHGs/ Samuh comprising of 300 members were trained under MFP through minimum support price (MSP) and development of value chain.
The scheme is being implemented by YouthNet with Made In Nagaland Centre (MIN) Kohima as common facility centre for procurement and value addition to locally available MFPs and skill-based handicrafts.
