The Agri Business Incubation Centre at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research organized an Entrepreneurship Development Program on 'Mushroom Production, Value Addition, and Marketing’ on December 8th 2023. The program was attended by 18 existing and potential entrepreneurs in Mushroom cultivation from Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. Dr. Prakash K M, Subject Matter Specialist from KVK Kozhikode, led the session on Mushroom production and Mrs. Elizabeth Joseph, Asst. Professor from KVK Kannur, guided the participants on Value Addition of Mushrooms. The session on the financial aspects, including credit availability and DPR preparation, were expertly handled by Mrs. Athira Thankappan, Chief Manager at Kerala Gramin Bank. Participants highlighted the need for increased awareness about the health benefits of Mushrooms among the general public and expressed interest in hands-on learning for further exploring value addition possibilities. The event also emphasized the importance of creating a network of entrepreneurs for co-learning, resource sharing, and exploring new markets. In the valedictory program, Dr. Sheeja T E, Head, Division of Crop Improvement and Biotechnology, IISR, presented the certificates to the participants. The program was coordinated by Dr. Sajesh V K, Senior Scientist and Co-PI of the ABI scheme.
