2025-12-13

“The training was highly beneficial, with all sessions exceeding expectations,” said Sherly Job, one of the participants.

Mushrooms are not only delicious but also packed with nutrition, including dietary fibre, antioxidants, essential minerals, and healthy fats. Recognising their potential for sustainable livelihoods, TIES recently organised a focused hands-on training programme on mushroom cultivation, bringing together 25 enthusiastic participants.

A major highlight of the programme was the introduction of an eco-friendly pellet-based method for mushroom bed preparation. This innovative technique offers a practical and sustainable alternative to traditional straw beds, making the cultivation process cleaner, easier, and less labour-intensive.

The training was structured into two segments—a theory session and a practical workshop. During the theory session, participants gained insights into different mushroom varieties, tissue culture, mother spawn and spawn production, bed preparation techniques, and post-harvest handling. The practical session allowed participants to apply their learning by preparing their own pellet-based mushroom beds.

Participants particularly appreciated the pellet-based approach, noting its advantages such as reduced contamination risk, time efficiency, and ease of handling compared to conventional methods.

The sessions were led by experienced resource persons including Dr. Punnen Kurian, Director of TIES; Prof. Sunny Jose, former Head of the Department at St. Xavier’s College, Vaikom; and Ms. Arya Shaji, Project Assistant at TIES. The programme was smoothly coordinated by the TIES team comprising Sarath Babu N B, Raimol Thomas, Jijomon . P. P, and Megha M M.

This initiative reflects TIES’ continued commitment to promoting sustainable, farmer-friendly practices and livelihood opportunities.