Don Bosco Tech Society, Sambalpur Center arranged a guest lecturer session for Mushroom Grower (Batch - 9, Accenture - 12) job role on March 6, 2023. The designated topic for the above-mentioned session was “Production of mushroom and marketing opportunity”. The guest lecture began with a welcome address by the domain trainer Mr. Dillip Kumar Behera. He introduced and welcomed Mr. Bikash Sahoo from Bikash Mushroom to deliver the lecture.

Mr. Bikash deliberated completely on various aspects, factors, and types of mushrooms to be grown in different seasons of the year. He furthered the session said mushrooms are cultivated indoors and do not require arable land. Small farmers and landless worker constitute major fraction of mushroom cultivation. Mushroom production has a labour-intensive nature and low labour cost is the biggest advantage of India.

He said mushroom production provides an ideal opportunity for conversion of agro-waste into wealth, quality food and organic manure and leads to high range of reduction in environmental pollution. Mushroom being an indoor crop provides vast opportunities for empowering rural and urban women through cultivation, production of value-added products and marketing. It also provides vast opportunities for unemployed youths to take up mushroom cultivation and marketing.

In the later part of the session, trainees were encouraged to clear their doubts by raising questions on the topic. Mr. Bikash also gave a few tips on the prevention of spillage during the process of production. Trainees were very enthusiastic and energetic throughout the session. Mr. Bikash expressed his satisfaction with the participation and interest shown by the participants in the program.

Mr.  Bikash concluded the session by answering queries and briefed on the avenue for self-employment leading to an alternative livelihood for rural unemployed youth. Mr. Sarada Prasad Nanda offered a vote of thanks in appreciation for taking the time out to educate the trainees.