Impact Analysis of the Mushroom Cultivation Training and Demonstrations Programme in the Old Alluvial Zone of West Bengal, India
Victor Sarkar
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
Ganesh Das *
Krishi Vigyan Kendra West Tripura, ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, India.
Rakesh Roy
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
B.C. Rudra
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
Paromita Bhowmick
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
S. Chakraborty
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
D. Majumdar
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
P. Pal
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
D. Sarkar
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Edible mushrooms are part of a delicious and nutrient-dense vegetarian diet. KVK Malda conducted front-line demonstrations and trainings to evaluate the profitability of oyster mushroom production from 2020 to 2022. It is found from the study that the benefit-cost ratio of oyster mushroom cultivation was significant, and the majority of the respondents participated in a mushroom cultivation training program to learn about mushroom growing techniques for self-consumption and become entrepreneurs. It was found from the study that the majority of the respondents were able to identify edible and wild mushrooms, and they used the bi-product of mushrooms for compost production. It is also found from the study that the majority of the farmers in the old alluvial zone discontinue mushroom cultivation due to a lack of marketing facilities.
Keywords: Mushroom, front-line demonstration, training, entrepreneur, compost production