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As a part of the Alternative Sustainable Livelihood (ASL) Initiatives, Karbi Anglong's premiere biodiversity conservation organisation --Aaranyak in collaboration with Rabha Agrcotech completed its comprehensive summer mushroom cultivation training program on July 18.
The program was held for the marginalised Karbi families in the Karbi Anglong district of the state. The day started with a welcome speech by Sarlongjon Teron, Senior Project Officer in Aaranyak, followed by a practical session with hands-on training and discussions led by the mushroom trainer Manoranjan Saikia, who handheld the participants and taught the steps involved in summer mushroom cultivation. The rest of the organising team of Aaranyak comprised Project Officer Joshna Terangpi, Assistant Project Officer (trainee) Sarlongki Teron, Field Assistants Prokash Engti and Beauty Terangpi, and Volunteer Stephan Tokbi. The training, held in two phases, started on June 22 and ended on July 18-preliminary and final. The training program was administered both at the central and village cluster level. The purpose of the training was to support alternative, sustainable livelihood opportunities through summer mushroom cultivation for marginalised families. 20 women from the villages participated in the preliminary training and learned crucial processes such as paddy straw cutting, sterilisation through boiling, and mushroom cylinder preparation Cylinders were stored in a dark room for the next 20 to 25 days before proceeding to the next step of the cultivation. The final phase of training was held after 25 days in Chandrasing Rongpi village with 19 participants. The event boasted advanced steps like sand and vermicompost by chemical and non-chemical processes, which were taught by the trainers. The key outcome of the training was that all the central training participants agreed to conduct similar training programmes in their respective villages and train the interested individuals. The approach aimed at extending knowledge to interested individuals who could not attend the central training, ensuring that there is a wider dissemination of mushroom cultivation techniques. Jirhun Killingpi and Kareng Rongpipi, the participants of the training, shared their enthusiasm and gratitude for the training. "We are very enthusiastic and excited. We have already trained 57 interested women from our respective villages in the preliminary phase of the cultivation and are optimistic about the benefits it will reap," Killingpi said. Rongipipi thanked Aaranyak for their unwavering support and dedication towards the community and said, "Now we have been able to participate in the different livelihood training programmes. We are immensely grateful for their commitment towards our community and landscape." A huge success, all participants completed the course with enthusiasm. The active engagement of the attendees through both phases of training demonstrated their keen interest in learning mushroom cultivation techniques. Aaranyak is committed to the conservation of biodiversity, and ecosystems and supporting the indigenous communities through Alternative Sustainable Livelihood activities, education, and awareness programs residing in Kaziranga- Karbi Anglong Landscape and Manas Landscape in Assam. (ANI)
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