Guwahati: The region’s premier biodiversity conservation organization, Aaranyak, in collaboration with Chandrasingh Rongpi Memorial High School (CRMHS), recently organized a daylong winter mushroom cultivation training programme at the Community Resource Centre in Chandrasing Rongpi village in Assam’s Karbi Anglong.
Over twenty participants from the Kohora and Diring River Basin Women Collectives attended the training programme.
Dr. Aparna Jyoti Rabha, founder of Rabha Agrotech, Tezpur, was invited as the resource person. An expert in mushroom cultivation and spawn production, she has been instrumental in supporting local communities’ livelihood development.
This training initiative seeks to empower women by imparting comprehensive skills and techniques in mushroom cultivation. The objective is to provide them with a sustainable and lucrative livelihood option, thereby enhancing their financial well-being and self-sufficiency.
The training program incorporated both theoretical instruction and practical application, with a particular emphasis on the construction of mushroom-growing cylinders. Participants gained knowledge on creating optimal growing conditions, preparing suitable substrates, and identifying various oyster mushroom species.
The session included practical demonstrations where participants prepared cultivation bags, mixed spawn with substrate, and created ventilation holes in growing cylinders.
The training delved into the fascinating world of mushrooms, exploring their biology, life cycles, and the numerous benefits they offer. Participants also learned about the high nutritional value of mushrooms and their potential to provide a profitable livelihood for small-scale farmers.
“I have practiced mushroom cultivation before, but the results were not always fruitful. Attending this training programme has been an eye-opener for me, and I hope to have a good harvest this time,” Rani Singnarpi from Sivoram Terang village of Diring said.
Mirrmili Kramsapi, student, CRMHS, stated, “Though I am new to this method of cultivation, I am looking forward to it with high hopes and positivity. Special thanks to Aparna Ma’am for her guidance and motivation, and thanks to Aaranyak for giving us a platform and opportunity to explore this new method of cultivation.”
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Aaranyak is committed to conserving biodiversity and ecosystems by supporting indigenous communities in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong and Manas Landscapes through sustainable livelihoods, education, and awareness programs. This initiative is supported by IUCN and Kfw.
