5-Day residential training on Export Orientation was conducted from 21^st-25th March, 2022 at the Centre for North Eastern Studies (CeNEST), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Kolkata set-up as a dedicated centre for the exclusive development of north-eastern States of the country. The training enabled through the Export Facilitation Cell (EFC) of the IIFT Kohima which was launched by the Hon’ble Chief Minister Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio on 17th November 2021 in the presence of Prof. Manoj Pant, Vice Chancellor, IIFT, and Alemtemshi Jamir, CEO, IDAN.

The entrepreneurs attended intense theoretical classes and also visited the Sea port, Kolkata and Customs offices to get a first-hand experience on export oriented activities. There were altogether 25 participants consisting of existing and prospective export-oriented entrepreneurs of Nagaland were selected for the training programme.

The EFC is set up at the IDAN, and is the first of its kind in the entire North Eastern region, sponsored by North Eastern Council (NEC), in collaboration with the IDAN to facilitate and handhold local entrepreneurs looking at exports as a business opportunity.

Outcome: Besides the first hand knowledge gained on export during the training, the entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to enroll in the UNCTAD Flagship capacity building programme, Empretec which will nurture the entrepreneurs through culture-based interventions are designed to provide insights to entrepreneurs with growth mindsets; and linkage-based interventions include access to markets, technology and finance.