TRIFED Launches First Tribal Artisan Empanelment Mela in Ziro
The first Tribal Artisan Empanelment Mela in Ziro aims to connect local tribal producers with national and international markets while preserving traditional craftsmanship and generating direct economic benefits.
ZIRO- TRIFED organised the Tribal Artisan Empanelment Mela (TAeM) for the first time at the Golden Jubilee Conference Hall of the District Secretariat in Ziro, marking an initiative to connect local tribal artisans with national and international market opportunities while promoting traditional regional craftsmanship.
The event was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Oli Perme as Chief Guest, with DRCS Hage Komo as Guest of Honour. The programme was coordinated by Asif Ekbal Hussain, Senior Programme Executive, and Prabha Choudhury, Assistant Manager, in collaboration with local officials including Dani Yamang, ARCS, and Takhe Tado, Managing Director of Subansiri LAMPS.
Around 20 local tribal artisans participated in the mela, displaying a range of traditional handlooms, handicrafts and organic agricultural products.
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The central objective of the empanelment drive was to register local producers with TRIFED, enabling them to access wider markets through exhibition platforms and Tribes India commercial outlets. The initiative also seeks to promote tribal culture, indigenous cuisine and traditional skills while providing direct financial benefits to participating producers.
The empanelment process is significant because registration with TRIFED can provide local producers with structured opportunities to present and market their products beyond their immediate geographical area. For artisans whose products are traditionally sold through local or informal channels, access to organised exhibition and commercial platforms can potentially broaden their customer base.
During the mela, participating artisans were guided through the registration procedure and informed about the documentation required for empanelment. This included a valid Scheduled Tribe certificate, Aadhaar card copy, bank passbook copy, passport-size photographs and physical samples of their products.
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The participating artisans were also provided a lump-sum Travel Allowance of ₹500. In addition, payments for sample products procured during the event are to be credited directly to the artisans’ bank accounts following evaluation.
The Ziro mela therefore combined artisan registration with product showcasing and market-oriented engagement. Its broader significance lies in creating a formal pathway through which traditional products from the region can potentially reach markets outside Arunachal Pradesh.
For local tribal communities, such initiatives can also contribute to the preservation of traditional skills by creating economic value around handlooms, handicrafts, indigenous products and associated cultural practices.
The first TAeM in Ziro thus marks an effort to move local tribal craftsmanship from primarily community-level markets towards wider commercial and institutional platforms, while retaining its traditional character.
