Kolkata: Farming of mushrooms, which are also referred to as “superfood” by several wellness experts, is transforming the fortunes of the tribal residents of a non-descript and impoverished village in Purulia and emerging as a symbol of women empowerment as women are at the forefront of cultivation.
Villagers in Hatinada on the foothills of Ayodhya Hills in Purulia have been growing mushrooms for the past three years.It has ensured a steady income for most of the 110 odd families of the village.
On Saturday as the residents voted (Purulia voted on Saturday), their wishlist from the next government included proper marketing channels for the mushrooms to make them reach the aisles of super markets in Kolkata, proper storing facilities and know-how to increase the output per acre.
The villagers had very little source of income as the region suffers from lack of water, high temperature and lack of farming skills.
Mushrooms are suited for the soil and climatic conditions of the region.
“Mushroom farming has opened up an income avenue for us, which can become permanent if we receive a little help from the government in increasing our agricultural output, packaging and marketing so that our mushrooms can reach the big markets in Kolkata,” said Rani Tudu, a resident of Hatinada, who is engaged in the mushroom farming on her 4 cottah land.
In March this year, around 85 women farmers of Hatinada were given seeds, mushroom production houses, mushroom packaging materials and other logistical support by Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR) in Patna under a programme called Prayas, which attempts to make villagers independent.
The Institute conducted training on oyster mushroom production at Hatinada village. Women farmers benefited and they were provided skill development on how to produce mushrooms. They were also provided mushroom spawn and other inputs.
ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna in collaboration with Vivekananda Vikas Kendra, Kalimati, Purulia an NGO, has adopted Hatinada, a remote village under PRAYAS.
“We have been supporting the villagers with several inputs and logistical support for mushroom farming. The village has been adopting an integrated farming system to empower farmers, particularly women, for three years. The system includes training and inputs to improve livelihoods,” said Dr Anup Das, director, ICAR, eastern region.
“The initiative has just started. It will take some time to produce desired results,” he added.
“Earlier, we depended on produce from the forests and meager income from working as a daily wage labourer. Men had to migrate to other places to earn livelihood. Mushroom farming can bring stability with some help from the government,’ said Meena Oran, another farmer in Hatinada.