The mela was organized by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited ( TRIFED ) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India and supported by Arunachal Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Mission ( ArSRLM ) and District Mission Management Unit (DMMU) Ziro unit. The Northeast Handicraft and Handloom Development Cooperation ( NEHHDC ) was also part of the empanelment team being a partner of TRIFED.

TAM was conducted under the scheme ‘Marketing and Logistics Development for Promoting Tribal Artisan Products from Northeastern Region (PTP-NER) for strengthening the livelihood opportunities of tribal artisans of Northeastern region’.

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The primary purpose of TAM is to highlight the creative tribal arts and artifacts to facilitate national exposure for potential business perspectives towards enriching the livelihoods of tribal artisans.

Samples brought to the mela were evaluated by a team of experts from TRIFED and cooperating agencies including ArSRLM and NHHDC for quality, craftsmanship, pricing, sale potential and empanelment of artisans by TRIFED for bulk supplies of their products at reasonable assured rates. The experts also guided the artisans with tips on how to improve the quality, design, input materials and the kind of training to be imparted to artisans to make their products marketable at national and international markets at remunerative prices.

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Declaring open the mela, Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Bamin Nime urged the organizers to coincide the next TAM with a significant day where large gatherings of people take place like that of Ziro Festival of Music, Statehood Day, Independence, or Republic Day celebrations. There is a huge demand for tribal products especially by foreigners and other visitors to Ziro and such mela which has tremendous potential for the sale of tribal products should be organized during such a day where significant public gathering takes place, he opined.

TRIFED Deputy Manager from New Delhi Himanshu Bahl, TRIFED Deputy Manager from West Bengal Sumana Saha, NEHHDC Product Design Manager from Guwahati Neetu Gogoi and Lower Subansiri District ArSRLM Project Manager Senong Namchoom also offered their valuable tips and inputs to artisans.