At Don Bosco Tech Society, Sambalpur Center, we arranged the 2nd Guest lecturer for Mushroom Grower (Batch - 1, Accenture 2023-24) job role on July 8, 2023. The designated topic for the above-mentioned session was “cultivation technology of paddy straw mushroom”. The guest lecture started with the welcome address by the domain trainer Mr. Dillip Kumar Behera. He introduced Ms. Sunita Seth from AB Mushroom Farm and requested her to deliver the lecture.

This Guest lecturer provides an important educational experience for students based on their real-world life experiences. Students get to see the insight and perspective of the guest lecturers’ specific field.

Ms. Sunita discussed in detail various types of mushrooms to be grown on different kinds of bases with particular emphasis on paddy straw bases. She had a detailed discussion on nutritive value, spawn production, cultivation methods, harvesting and processing, disease and insect-pests management etc. She point out the advantages of Paddy straw mushroom and deliberated on the production cost for starting the cultivation as a small farm of mushrooms at home too and sources from where to procure raw materials. Mushroom production being an indoor activity, labour intensive and high profit venture provides ample opportunities for gainful employment of small, farmers, landless labourers, women and unemployed youth she said.

As the session was approaching to wrap up, trainees interacted with keen interest and raised questions as to how to make a career in the field of cultivation of mushrooms which were suitably answered. Ms. Sunita also gave a few tips on how to prevent spillage during the process of production. She was very amazed by the participation and interest shown by the participants in the program.

Ms. Sunita summed up the session by answering queries and deliberating on the enormous scope for self-employment leading to a decent livelihood for a mushroom grower. The session ended with a hearty thanks to Ms. Sunita by Mr. Sarat Chandra Dash in appreciation for taking the time out to educate the trainees.