ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

vermicompost units were set up at beneficiarie's
land. The trained beneficiaries are selling their
surplus vermicompost @ Rs. 3/kg and are able to
earn additional income.
(iv) A low cost biofertiliser production unit has been
set up at Kuttathavaranpathi for the benefit of
farmers from 8 villages under Rediarchatram block
through a project supported at MSSRF, Chennai.
(v) At UAS, Dharwad, 350 women from 12 villages
were trained in vermicomposting. 70 units were set
up at beneficiaries site. A hatchery for rearing the
quality worms Eudrilus euginae, was set up at
demonstration unit. The beneficiaries were
encouraged to use their vermicompost at their farm.
The surplus vermicompost was purchased by the
University @ Rs. 2.5/kg and were demonstrated in
various horticultural crops like pomegranate. On an
average each family is earning Rs. 500-2000/- per
month through the sale of additional vermicompost.
(vi) Under a project at College Damoh, MP, over 1000
women were educated on the benefit of
vermicompost, recycling of agrowaste and organic
cultivation of vegetables and horticultural crops. Out
of these, 200 beneficiaries from 8 villages were
trained in production and application of
Vermicompost, They were provided earthworms and
assisted in setting up Vernicompost units at their
land. The individual beneficiary is now earning Rs.
200-400 per month through the sale of compost.
(vii) In another project supported at Bhubaneshwar
through an NGO, 500 women were trained in
converting coir pith to vermicompost, 5
demonstration unit set up at beneficiaries land and
market linkages established after making 25 SHGs
of trained women.
(viii) At Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning,
Anantpur, 40 women were trained in seed collection,
drying, pulverizing and collecting neem oil by cold
compression method. A neem processing unit has
been installed at sub-centres. The beneficiaries have
been trained to operate these units. On an average
each beneficiary is earning around Rs. 6,500/- per
month through the sale of neem oil.
DBT Annual Report 2006-07
138
Mushroom Cultivation
About 150 women from Tarra and Dondekhurd
villages around Raipur were trained in cultivation and
processing of oyster and milky mushroom. Out of
these, 13 women were trained in spawn production
technology. These women have established spawn
production unit at Panchayat's land and are selling
their product under the name of Swa Shakti Samiti.
The unit
has earned Rs. 68,000/- in six months.
Through Manipur Science & Technology Council, a
spawn production unit for Pleurotus and
demonstration units for Oyster mushroom including
few local species were set up. Selected 55 women
were trained in mushroom cultivation including
identification of edible variety, mushroom diseases
and pests maintenance of spawn, harvesting and
marketing. On an average each family is earning
approximately Rs. 600/- per month by selling fresh
mushroom @ Rs. 50 per kg. At TBGRI,
Thiruvananthapuram, 25 strains of Pleurotus were
collected from different places throughout Kerala
state. They were screened for better yield, their
availability throughout the year using RAPED and
ITSRFLP methods. Seven training-cum-awareness
fair were organized, over 10,000 people participated
in these 3- day fair, out of which 2000 women were
trained in Pleurotus cultivation at three satellite
units. They were provided with quality spawn and
assisted in setting up their units. 75 women are
selling fresh mushroom @ Rs. 100/kg in local market.
Bee Keeping
A project was supported to an NGO, HESCO,
Dehradun to promote entrepreneurship through bee
keeping. Under this project about 400 women from
two different altitude were selected and low cost
wodden hives were introduced for lower altitude and
upgraded wall hives in higher altitude. The lantana
hives became very popular among the beneficiaries
for its being cheaper as well as availability of the
lantana in the region. They were also trained in valueaddition
like extraction, purification, packaging for
honey. The interested farmers were also trained in
lantana box preparation. The trained women have
already started their units and are selling their
products in local market @ 150/- .