Case Study Report on Promoting Coconut Based Agro ... - APFED

empower rural poor women, one permanent training centre „Rural Technology Training
Centre (RTTC)‟ has been established under the project for the benefit of potential rural
entrepreneurs. Totally more than 40 series of skill development training/workshops/
seminars were organized in the area of agriculture production, Animal raring, Processing
and marketing, Waste management, Articles and decorative (also see Annexure 3).
Around 2260 men and 1475 women participated and benefited. The resource persons for
imparting these programs were drawn from coir Research Institute, Coconut Board, State
Agricultural department, Vegetable and fruit promoting council, state veterinary
department, Agricultural University etc. Apart from capacity building program, farmers
and women made exposure visits to demonstrated sites. Some successful case studies are
listed below.
The Project Implementing Agency promoted number of coconut processing units
and provided technical trainings on coir fiber spinning and coir pith composting. Around
370 households benefited from the supply of improved coir spinning units and linked to
Vayalar fiber mill. From coconut fiber, each day 0.001 tone / per person thread is
prepared and per day income was raised from US $ 1 to 2.5 UDS/day/ person.
Mushroom is another important market demand product in the study area.
Currently a self help group consisting of 8 women members is running a unit called
“Coon Fresh” mushroom unit with profitable business. This unit consists of about 200-
300 mushroom beds and the production is about 0.2 tone/ 45 days. Currently there are 7
local varieties of mushrooms growing; namely cone 1, cone 2, Florida, solgerjan, pink
verity, and milky cone, button mushroom and mother spawns purchased from Kumarkom
Agriculture Research center, kottayam. Apart from production, few value added products
like pickle, cutlet, ready mix soup, chutney powder mushroom rsayanam lehyam
(ayruvedic preparations) are being prepared at home. The demand for these value added
products is very high. By maintaining this unit, the Self help group is earning a profit of
about US $ 1500/ 45 days.
With the assistance of Peekay Tree crop foundation and the training program
provided by RTTC, a 3-member women group started one catering unit. At present they
prepare all coconut food products and other market demand products. Apart from this,
they also supply lunch and dinner for functions and marriage parties. They are running an
equal share business and their profit is about US $ 445 / month.
Farmer club called “Haritha Samrudhi” consists of 14 members actively involved
in production of seedlings, supply of quality seeds, organic vegetable cultivation,