Shopian, March 04: In a bid to foster women empowerment and skill development among rural communities, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Shopian successfully concluded a one-week training program titled “Women Empowerment Through Mushroom Cultivation.”
The initiative, sponsored by the Management of Agricultural Extension Education (MANAGE) Hyderabad and supported by the Government of India, took place from February 26th to March 2nd, 2024, in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr. Shabeer Ahmad Ganie, extending a warm welcome to dignitaries and participants, outlined the objectives of the training program, emphasizing the potential career paths in mushroom production and processing.
The session featured insightful presentations by two participants who shared feedback on the training program.
Addressing the trainees, Dr. Zaffar Afroz Badri, Senior Scientist and Head of KVK Shopian, elucidated various schemes available under the Horticulture and Agriculture Development Project (HADP) aimed at fostering micro and small enterprises centered around mushroom production.
He underscored the importance of youth empowerment and skill development, emphasizing the role of programs like STRY in achieving these objectives.
Throughout the training, 28 participants engaged in sessions led by experts from KVK Shopian, ARSSSS Pampore, and the Department of Agriculture, covering diverse aspects of mushroom production technology.
Dr. Shabeer Ahmad Ganie, serving as the course coordinator, conducted hands-on demonstrations on spawning and casing of button mushrooms, while also shedding light on scientific spawn production techniques and value addition processes.
Dr. Mir Gh Hassan, Senior Scientist at ARSSSS Pampore, highlighted the health benefits and nutritional value of mushrooms, while Dr. Shabeer-Ur-Rehman, Jr. Agriculture Extension Officer, discussed entrepreneurship development opportunities in mushroom cultivation, detailing available schemes through the Department of Agriculture.
Dr. Bilal Ahmad Zargar, Scientist in Agricultural Extension, delivered informative sessions on creating detailed project reports for mushroom cultivation ventures and exploring entrepreneurship prospects in agriculture and allied sectors.
The training program concluded with an interactive session, where participants expressed high satisfaction and voiced their eagerness for future programs of similar diversity.
The success of this initiative underscores KVK Shopian’s commitment to fostering rural empowerment and sustainable agricultural practices in the region.
