Bhubanewar, 7/8/2021 ( Odisha Samachar)-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Khordhatoday organized day-long twintrainingsand a Front-Line Demonstration(FLD) in Balipatna Block of Khordha district. The trainings on“Women empowerment through paddy straw mushroom cultivation’ was conducted by Dr.Harapriya Nayak, Subject Matter Specialist (Home Science) and Mrs. Sukanti Behera ACTO (Home Science) at Dhanaharavillage,andSri Ajay Kumar Dash, Subject Matter Specialist (Horticulture) conducted ‘Orchad lay out and management’ at Padmapur village. Each of the training programme was attended by 50 farmwomen belonging to Schedule Caste category from different Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Dr. S.K. Swain, Director, ICAR- CIFA, Bhubaneswarinaugurated the training programme as Chief Guest at Dhanahara village. In his inaugural address he highlighted the importance of mushroom cultivationas an agribusiness activity for the farming community.He also focused thatmushroom have the potential to provide improved and sustainable livelihood opportunity to the local farmers and unemployed youths due to the rising demand of delicacy of mushroom as a nutritious and healthy food. Dr. S.S. Giri, Head, KVK, Khordhabeing the Nodal Officer of the programmes informed the efforts taken by ICAR-KVK, Khordha to create employment and livelihood in agricultural sector for the farmers of Khordha district. A total of 500 paddy straw mushroom spawn (OSM 11& OSM 12), polythene, gram flour, bleaching powder, CaCo3 were distributed to five farmwomen ofSchedule Caste category for Front-Line Demonstration on paddy straw mushroom cultivation. Dr. Harapriya Nayak, Subject Matter Specialist (Home Science) welcomed the delegates and briefed about the nutritional and medicinal values of mushrooms.Mrs. Sukanti Behera, ACTO (Home Science) facilitated the training and gave detailed information about the cultivation practices of paddy straw mushroom. Sri Ajay Kumar Dash, Subject Matter Specialist (Horticulture) described the management of orchards at Padmapur village. Sri. P.R. Sahoo, Subject Matter Specialist (Fisheries) also attended the programmes. TheExposure Visits were conducted for the trainees on the theme areas of trainings.