Neeraj Kumar/ Begusarai: Abhilasha Devi from Bihar has demonstrated the saying “if there is a passion to do something in the mind, no obstacle can become a barrier in your path.” She has made a name for herself in mushroom cultivation and is earning a good income. Not only is she promoting mushroom production with her hard work and efforts, but she is also helping other women in the village and improving their financial situation.
Learning from Abhilasha Devi, these women have made mushroom production a means of livelihood. Abhilasha, known as the Mushroom Lady, can be seen as an inspiration for her struggles. Despite not having enough space to accommodate her five family members in her two houses made of alabaster, she turned her home into a mushroom production center and worked towards strengthening her financial situation.
The mushroom production training began with a three-day course in June 2023 at the Agricultural Science Center in Khodavandpur during the hot season. Abhilasha also joined the local farmers and received training before returning home. After that, through the SLG scheme, with the help of Jeevika’s BRP Juhi Kumari, she underwent a ten-day training and started mushroom production in empty spaces, including her bedroom, spending Rs. 1200 on 40 packets of seeds initially. She believed that this production would help alleviate poverty in the area as people were buying mushrooms for Rs. 700 to 800 per kilo.
Manoj Kumar, the BPO of Khodavandpur Block, stated that awareness about mushroom production has been growing in small towns in recent years. Mushrooms have now found a place as a nutritious vegetable in people’s plates. Abhilasha says that she prepares mushrooms three times a month. Mushrooms prepared from 40 packets are sold for up to Rs. 8,000. In addition, she sells mushroom seeds in 20 sectors, with each packet priced at up to Rs. 200. She is called the Mushroom Lady because she has made 71 women in the vicinity self-reliant by providing them with mushroom production training.
नीरज कुमार/बेगूसराय : अभिलाषा देवी ने मशरूम की खेती में नया मुकाम हासिल किया है। उन्होंने अपनी मेहनत और संघर्ष के दम पर गांव की अन्य महिलाओं की मदद कर मशरूम उत्पादन करवा रही हैं और अपने भी परिवार की आर्थिक स्थिति को सुधार रही हैं। इसके बाद उन्होंने बीआरपी जूही कुमारी के माध्यम से एसएलजी योजना से दोबारा 10 दिनों की ट्रेनिंग और बीज पाकर मशरूम उत्पादन शुरू किया है। इससे बहुत सारे लोगों की आर्थिक स्थिति मजबूत हो रही है।
