Success Stories

A self help group becomes a commercial producer of mushroom

A self help group named Milan Jyoti SHG was started in the year 2006 with 10 members of common objective. The president of the group is Mr. Promod Kumar Saha and the Secretary is Mr. Sanjay Kumar Saha.

Before the formation of the SHG, the members were unemployed and jobless. They found it difficult even to manage for a square meals. Under such conditions they were thinking to do something for elevating their socio-economic condition. In the meanwhile they heard of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra situated at Gossaigaon. One fine morning, Mr. Promod Kumar Saha and Mr. Sanjay Kumar Saha visited the KVK, Gossaigaon. They were well received by the scientists of the KVK. They asked about some means for augmenting their income. A discussion was held among the scientists and the two unemployed youth. Analysing their condition, the scientists of the KVK, suggested them to go for mushroom production. Coming back from the KVK to their village they gathered 10 members of similar view and formed the Milan Jyoti Self Help Group at village – Bhawraguri under the Gossaigaon sub-division.

The members of the SHG took training programme on mushroom production under Dr. Y. Prasad, Programme Coordinator of the KVK. After the training, a demonstration programme was also conducted.

Getting trained in the KVK, Gossaigaon, they started mushroom cultivation in their own house under constant guidance and supervision from the scientists of the KVK. Initially they started mushroom cultivation on small scale and sell the produce in the local market. But, getting good response from the consumers and considering the profit, they gradually increased the production depending on the market demand.

At present, they produce 5000 kg of fresh mushroom and 500 kg of dry mushroom from which they get an income of Rs. 4, 00,000.00 and Rs. 2, 00,000.00 respectively. Besides these they also produce some value added products of mushroom viz., Mushroom Papad, Mushroom Nodules, Mushroom Pickle, Mushroom Soybean, Mushroom Soup etc. Apart from selling these products in the local market, the group builds up a marketing network through out the entire North Eastern states including West Bengal and neighbouring country Bhutan. Now–a–days they started a vermi-compost production unit from the waste materials produced after harvesting fresh mushroom. Presently, they earn net income of Rs. 3,25,000.00 per year from mushroom production unit and could set an example for others. This commercial mushroom production SHG has earned name and fame for their noble venture. Now many neighbours and peoples from distant places visit their mushroom farm and take suggestions from them.

This is the first Self Help Group in the Kokrajhar district which can produce both fresh and dry mushroom in such a large scale. Besides, they have taken some future plans with the help of bank finance namely –

1. Cultivation unit of organic mushroom for medicinal value

2. Establishment of a mushroom spawn production unit

3. Marketing of mushroom and its value added products within the country and abroad

4. Processing unit of mushroom in large scale

Ganesh chandra biswas – an ordinary man becomes a role model

Mr. Ganesh Chandra Biswas aged 35 of village Kusumbil No. 2 under Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district hails from a poor family. His father was a marginal farmer. They had no any source of income and their family was surviving only by cultivating paddy and other seasonal crops in the paternal property of 2.0 ha of land. As the time passing by his responsibility was increasing towards his family and gradually it becomes difficult for him to manage his five member family without any income. Under such circumstances he had no any alternative except to utilise his agricultural land profitably. He started cultivation of field as well as horticultural crops. But he could not achieve high income due to adoption of traditional methods which again led him to financial hardship. Incidentally, at this point of juncture he attended a Kisan mela cum Exhibition where a large number of flower nursery from entire Assam participated. He visited the exhibition stalls, shared the experiences of nursery man and realised the potentialities of flower business. Fortunately, from them, he also came to know that the KVK Gossaigaon is playing instrumental role and guiding force behind such enterprising activities. Having been motivated by them, he came to the KVK to meet the Scientists. The KVK scientists realised his hidden aspirations and guided him accordingly. He started visiting the KVK frequently for counseling and guidance. In between he attended and participated in a number of training and interaction programmes, group discussions etc. and acquired ample knowledge. This led him to develop a desire to apply his knowledge in field. With this aspiration he initiated flower cultivations in scientific way on commercial basis. He established a flower nursery of 0.13 ha area and started selling seasonal flower seedlings, pot plants, loose flowers and other ornamental plants. Very soon he captured the flower market of this area with growing demand. The farmer achieved great success as his selling fetched a good price and his business gradually blooming like a flower. During last winter season he earned an amount of Rs. 70,000/- from his nursery and the market is expanding like anything for him. Now he is selling his produce from this border most district of lower Assam to the districts of upper Assam.

Unfortunately flower cultivation is feasible only in winter season as the entire Kusumbil village remains under water logged conditions during rainy season. So, he ventured for some other agricultural activities during summer season. In 0.13 ha area he constructed a fish pond where he started rearing Rohu, Katla and Mrigal fishes. Along with fishery he also started rearing of duck and poultry for egg production. Thus he started receiving income round the year and last year he earned an amount of Rs. 1,60,000/- from these enterprising activities. The lives of Mr. Biswas and his family have been changed. Till the other day he was unorganised, but today he is brimming with confidence. An ordinary man of yesteryears has become a role model. His success story has in turn inspired others which can be replicated elsewhere too. Today the entire Kusumbil village is transformed into a flower village.

An Women SHG becomes profitable through dairying and fishery

Ten farm women at Thuribari near Gossaigaon thought of doing something for income generation. They heard of and saw many Self Help Groups becoming successful. They got encouragement from many sources. One day they visited the KVK, Gossaigaon. The scientists of the KVK enquired about their resources. Ultimately the scientists advised them to form a SHG on Dairying and Fishery.

All the ten women unanimously decided to form a Self Help Group. They formed a SHG on April, 2003 and named it as Ansumai SHG taking Mrs. Ahila Brahma as President and Mrs. Padmini Basumatary as Secretary. At first they started dairy farm from their own capital in small scale in the year 2003. Learning about their performance from authentic sources, many organisations including KVK, Gossaigaon started visiting their farm. With successful progress in dairy farming, they got a bank loan from the P.G. Bank in the year 2005 and started a fish pond. At the same time they also constructed a scientific dairy house from the amount received as bank loan and purchased 15 numbers of Jersey cows of 2^nd Calving. At present, these cows are yielding 75 litres of milk per day. This milk is sold at Gossaigaon town at the rate of Rs. 20.00 per litre. The monthly income becomes Rs. 45,000.00. The veterinary scientist of the KVK who imparted them training earlier used to visit this dairy farm regularly.

On the other hand, the members of the SHG took training on composite fish farming. With all the technical guidance, they started fish production in a pond of 0.4 ha and near the fish pond they constructed a piggery farm where they kept 20 female and 2 male pig of local breed. Their income from the piggery farm is at present Rs. 1,20,000.00 per year and from the Fish pond they earn about Rs. 60,000.00 per year.

Total income of the SHG is at present Rs. 4, 50,000.00 per year and has an bank balance of Rs. 3, 00,000.00.

Thus the SHG has set an example for others. The scientists of the KVK advised them to rear the improved breed of pig and enlarge the piggery farm. Accordingly, the SHG had taken a plan to enlarge the farm with improved breed of pig.

Model farmer – Sri manindra nath roy

Sri Manindra Nath Roy son of Late Jogendra Nath Roy of Basantipur village under Gossaigaon sub-division is a middle-aged man. He was a traditional cultivator with 2.30 ha of land. Having a large family of 10 members, he was overburdened with the meager income he could earn from traditional cultivation. The adult male members engaged themselves in the field while the female ones look after the household chores. All were busy toiling to uplift the economic condition of the family. But they could not meet both ends. However, good days were waiting for them. The KVK Gossaigaon came to rescue the family after identifying their true potentialities. Finding the resources of the family, they were given a chance to prove their mettle. Some Front Line Demonstrations (FLD) on HYV of different crops was conducted in their fields to popularise and attract them towards scientific technology. Few On Farm Testings (OFT) were also carried out to motivate them towards latest technology. Having been encouraged by the performance of FLD and OFT, Sri Roy also attended few training programmes organised by KVK and subsequently he gathered sufficient knowledge on theoretical and practical aspects on agricultural and allied sector. He then initiated integrated farming in large scale on scientific basis. Instead of cultivating traditional varieties of rice, he grew seeds of Ranjit received from KVK and produced a record yield of 50 qt/ha. Among other crops he cultivated HYV of oilseeds and pulses viz. Rapeseed, Sesamum, Black gram etc. It is worth mentioning that he grew all these crops as per technical guidance of the KVK scientists.

Besides agricultural land, he possesses a fishery of 0.26 ha area where he kept fish of Rohu, Katla and Mrigal variety. Among the horticultural crops, he planted seedlings of Arecanut in an area of 0.26 ha. In Animal husbandry sector, he rears 3 local cows, 2 heifers, 20 numbers of ducks and 45 pairs of pigeon. At present Sri Roy earns about Rs. 1.25 lakhs per year from these farm activities and managing the livelihood of the whole family in a comfortable way.