AHMEDABAD, OCT 1
The second edition of ‘Sahayog Mela’ organised by NABARD Gujarat Regional Office, at Sabarmati River Front, near Vallabh Sadan. Ahmedabad was inaugurated by Gujarat Agriculture Minister Raghavjibhai Patel on Friday.
NABARD Gujarat Regional Office has organised a 3 day Sahyog – mela from 1st to 3rd October 2021 at Sabarmati River Front, near Vallabh Sadan.
The mela was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Raghavjibhai Patel. He appreciated the initiatives of NABARD aimed at bringing rural prosperity and emphasised upon the role FPOs can play in realising the goals of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat mission.
Speaking to the media, NABARD CGM D K Mishra said, “Ahead of this mela, NABARD had organized a mela in Kutch last month. Owing to the pandemic farmers’ producer organizations (FPOs), artisans, women Self Help Groups / Sakhi Mandalis from the rural area have been economically hit. However, some FPOs have adopted the e-commerce models in Gujarat to sustain their business. Several institutional buyers, wholesalers, IT firms dealing in agricultural commodities through B to B or B to C model, representatives from commodity exchange, etc. are participating in this mela.”
MK Bansal, SLBC convenor, assured that all banks in the state will support the NABARD’s initiative to uplift the farmers and rural development.
Shamsher Mann, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India lauded the efforts of NABARD in women empowerment by helping the SHGs and sakhi mandals.
AK Jha, Chief General Manager, IDBI, DGM RBI, representatives from SIDBI, IDBI, GStCB, ADC Bank were present at the inauguration ceremony besides participants.
The three-day exhibition-cum-sale event will remain open until Sunday, October 3, has a total of 100 stalls wherein,60 producers, artisans and SHGs from different parts of Gujarat and 40 from 10 other states are participating. Their products range from spices, cereals, fruits, processed foods, handicrafts, handlooms, organic food items, home décor, woodwork, stonework, etc. The objective of the event is to provide a marketing platform to various farmers’ producer organizations (FPOs), artisans, women Self Help Groups / Sakhi Mandalis from the rural area.
As part of the mela NABARD has organised a Buyer Seller Meet with the motto of linking producers to the market.
Handlooms from Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh are showcased. Additionally, renowned crafts like Madhubani painting, handicraft of Patan, Kutch-Bhujadi etc. are also being exhibited at the mela.
In addition to offering the rural artisans a prospect to showcase their creativity and creations, the mela would expose them to the city markets, help redesign and sell their products in conformity with latest trends.
