Konsa hamlet is in the Longding District of Arunachal Pradesh. Pongchau Block is one of the last villages near the Myanmar border. As per the PRA report, the village is surrounded by 120 households. The district headquarters is 68 kilometres away. The village’s eight SHGs are Banu, Jingnungja, Mohiman, Josa, Chingkho, Jongkha, Mokha, and Lamngoi. All of these SHGs are promoted and supported by NERCOMRP III Tirap and Longding.
The area’s resources include mostly agricultural items such as chilly, pumpkin, ginger, maize, millet, squash, and so on, as well as non-timber products such as bamboo shoots, banana blossoms, wild edible leaves, and fruits. Village women, on the other hand, were unable to promote their locally accessible products and services due to a lack of transportation and high fares.
On the 7th of September, 2019, during a Cluster Self-Help Group Federation meeting in Pongchau hamlet, the concept for a weekly market was developed. Through the support of the Partner NGO AIDA team, SHG members from Konsa, Konnu, Pongchau, and Bonia invited Mr. Khampai Wangsa (President Chingke NaRM-G Konsa Village Cum Caretaker of Pick-up Van) to the meeting and expressed their willingness to sell their products, negotiated for a reasonable fare, and set the fare and marketing days.
On October 5, 2019, SHG members visited Longding District Head Quarters for the first time to market their products. Previously, the AIDA team had trained them in entrepreneurship. However, they faced challenges such as a lack of knowledge about where to market their products, how to sort and grade them, and concerns about product cost. It was their first exposure to marketing as well as their first hands-on involvement with it.
Through AIDA’s team initiatives and support, the other women around them graded and priced their products. The SHG members successfully adapted to the situation, and it only took three hours to sell all the supplies.
Observations
- Their confidence had grown
- Grading and standardisation
- Improved calculation skills
- They learnt how to negotiate with customers
- Purchases made by non-residents
Learning’s
- Following the success of the Konsa SHGs, Pongchau, Konnu, and Bonia approached the AIDA team for support and expressed their willingness to do the same.
- The SHG members acquired practical experience in marketing.
- The products were organic and tasted different because of the cold climate, and many people preferred to purchase more from SHGs.
- SHGs needed more capacity-building on value addition.
- To follow up on the profit generated on the market days,
- To discuss and share their experiences and thoughts following the marketing days, for future income-generating activities.