Impact Analysis of the Mushroom Cultivation Training and Demonstrations Programme in the Old Alluvial Zone of West Bengal, India

Edible mushrooms are part of a delicious and nutrient-dense vegetarian diet. KVK Malda conducted front-line demonstrations and trainings to evaluate the profitability of oyster mushroom production from 2020 to 2022. It is found from the study that the benefit-cost ratio of oyster mushroom cultivation was significant, and the majority of the respondents participated in a mushroom cultivation training program to learn about mushroom growing techniques for self-consumption and become entrepreneurs. It was found from the study that the majority of the respondents were able to identify edible and wild mushrooms, and they used the bi-product of mushrooms for compost production. It is also found from the study that the majority of the farmers in the old alluvial zone discontinue mushroom cultivation due to a lack of marketing facilities.