After community members at Mawhiang launched the Farm-On-Wheels (FOW) initiative in August, a few other members from the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) groups
launched a pop-up food stall to accompany the FOW vehicle last month.
The pop-up food stall consists of five members from each PGS group who are part of the
FOW initiave. Every Friday, the assigned PGS group would get the vehicle running and go
across the community and neighbouring areas to sell the vegetables. A member of the food
stall would run the stall while the others sell the vegetables. The store would usually attract customers wit the help of its traditional food like jadoh syiar, doh syiar, jhur sdieh, jhur I’m, and several traditional snacks like pu syep, pu saw, pu thap, sha, riewhadem phon among others. These traditional snacks are prepared by the Iasnohktilang PGS members -Mardolin Kharsyntiew, Aidalis Kharaswai, Deborah Kharsyntiew and Kosmilian Nongsiej.
Customers are now even more attracted to the FOW vehicle because of the food stall. Since
most community members are farmers or are into herding livestock, they do not have time
to properly cook good. This pop-up food stall, on the other hand, helps give them access
traditional and healthy food.
Aiolian Kharsyntiew, one of the sellers and a PGS member, said, "We as a PGS group are now earning extra income through this initiative. I am glad that all the members are on-board with this idea and this way, we can go a long way in the coming months.“
Mardolin Kharsyntiew, one the cooks and a PGS member, said, “It is a great opportunity as I was able to showcase my traditional snacks and food items. It also a great way for all of us to earn a little extra amidst this pandemic.”
Other PGS groups from the other partner communities have also expressed their interest in launching a pop-up food stall to accompany the FOW vehicle in other areas. With the help of Mawhiang PGS, these areas are set to launch their food stalls in the coming months.
