Millets National Media Portal
Millets National Media Portal
On the 7th day of its Village Adoption Program at Malakpur Bet, NIFTEM-K organised a series of special lectures and demonstrations aimed at boosting food processing, millet-based products, mushroom cultivation and agribusiness opportunities. The event attracted a mix of farmers, women entrepreneurs, SHG members, village youth and self-help groups — all eager to learn about sustainable livelihoods and value-addition to agricultural produce. Expert speakers from ICAR–CIPHET, including Dr. Ranjeet Singh and Dr. Rajiv Sharma, shared valuable insights on post-harvest technologies, low-cost processing equipment, and the commercial potential of millets and mushrooms. Their guidance included how to leverage government schemes to start rural enterprises.
The hands-on demonstrations put theory into practice: participants got to see how mushroom cultivation is done, and how to process puffed rice and instant rice mixes — along with millet-based products such as ragi laddoos, millet cookies, multigrain atta, and instant porridge. This practical exposure helped attendees understand how raw agricultural output can be converted into value-added, user-friendly food products — a key step towards higher income and food security.
Importantly, members of women-led SHGs expressed interest in launching their own micro-enterprises, targeting snacks, pickles, dehydrated vegetables, and ready-to-cook mixes. The inclusive approach showed that agribusiness is not only a path for traditional farmers, but also for women and youth looking for self-employment and economic empowerment. With guidance on leveraging relevant schemes and technical know-how, many community members felt confident about starting home-based food processing units.
The event underscores NIFTEM-K’s larger mission — to empower rural India by transforming agriculture through food processing, value-addition, entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices. By combining technical expertise with market and policy awareness, such programmes aim to open new avenues for income generation while promoting healthy, millet-based diets and rural development. Continued training and field support in Malakpur Bet are expected to help translate the demonstrations and lectures into real, working enterprises for villagers.
© 2023 - 2025 Millets News. All rights reserved.
