A Tribal Artisans Empanelment Mela (TAeM), organised by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, was held at the Directorate of Industries and Commerce in Kohima on August 27.
Joint Director of Industries and Commerce Hojeto K Suqhe appreciated TRIFED for recognising and supporting artisans in Nagaland by showcasing their handicrafts and helping them understand market demand. Speaking on the PM Vishwakarma and TRIFED collaboration, he said the initiative would help link capacity building with market opportunities and strengthen livelihood prospects for traditional artisans.
He said around 2,000 artisans from Nagaland had been registered and trained in six trades under the PM Vishwakarma scheme, a flagship central initiative supporting traditional craftspeople.
Suqhe urged artisans to use the opportunity to expand their activities and access TRIFED’s commercial network. He said direct sourcing of handicrafts from indigenous artisans could help reduce dependence on middlemen and address market access constraints.
TRIFED Senior Programme Executive Asif Ekbal Hussain said the organisation’s mandate was to support tribal livelihoods through various schemes and marketing platforms. He said the Forest Department, DUDA, Marcofed and Nagaland Beekeeping and Honey Mission are the nodal government departments implementing TRIFED schemes in Nagaland.
Hussain said the Northeast accounts for about 3,500 of TRIFED’s 5,000 artisans across India. Registered artisans are linked directly with TRIFED’s marketing platforms. Their products are assessed for quality, pricing and market demand before purchase recommendations are made.
He advised artisans to adopt wholesale pricing rather than high retail margins to secure bulk orders and encouraged accurate costing to ensure profitability during negotiations. Registered artisans may also receive opportunities to participate in national exhibitions.
The programme was chaired by State Programme Management Unit, PM Vishwakarma, Suneptula Jamir, who also delivered the welcome address.