Self-help groups' carnival in Bhopal

Participating SHGs to get training on marketing activities, platform to showcase products

To offer a marketing platform and information on markets, and revive the ailing activities in self help group model a mega carnival of self-help groups (SHGs) will take place in Bhopal from 10 February.

Approximately 10000 SHGs; engaged in cottage industry like agarbatti, papad, badi, achar, cosmetics, herbal medicine collection and packaging, will congregated at Lal Parade ground.

The state, which has more than 3.50lakh SHGs, is facing problem on consolidation and new market front where competition is very high. The participating SHGs will also showcase their products at Bhopal Haat created for the purpose in 'SHG-Mela', which will last till 15 February.

The idea is to provide them complete information on backward and forward marketing linkage, said Panchayat and Rural development minister. There was a need to train them to face the growing competition. All the SHGs would get training on marketing activities, said the minister.

Madhya Pradesh is the first state in India that has created its own brand on private partnership basis through SHG model. Madhya Pradesh Khadi Gramodyog Board "" the nodal agency for the brand 'Vindhya Valley' "" not only claims to ensure purity but also widens the range at regular intervals. However, in absence of proper marketing activities the brand has not widely accepted in the market against those created by multinationals.

Further, the marketing agencies for the brand like Madhya Pradesh State Agro Industries Development Corporation have not added much on marketing front. According to banking industry sources, "SHGs in Madhya Pradesh have just become financing agencies for rural women."

Against the government models, non-government organizations have done well in providing marketing linkage to SHGs.

An NGO PRADAN has developed a better marketing access to the women SHG products. PRADAN has not only created a poultry brand for SHGs of women in Hoshangabad district but is gearing up for creating other brands for soya, wheat and gram seeds (In Vidisha district), milk (Sagar district) and coriander (Guna district).

"The brands will be created within six months," said a government official adding, "SHGs need consolidation and input support in the form of financial assistance from state government for sustainability," said AK Mathur chief general manager, NABARD, Bhopal.

Although the minister is optimistic about success of SHGs through the meet in February, "We shall try to bring them on a common platform and learn their problems and issues," bankers and policy makers will have to identify sustainable activities for them in the state.