As part of Jeevidam’s continued efforts to strengthen livelihoods among poor and vulnerable households, mushroom cultivation has emerged as a key productivity enhancement intervention across multiple locations. The initiative focuses on equipping members with practical skills for small-scale, sustainable income generation that complements existing farm activities.
Vathalagundu has already begun to see encouraging outcomes. At the Vathalagundu Kalanjia Jeevidam 10K FPO, trainee Mrs. Senbagavalli successfully harvested her first batch of mushrooms this December 2025. The FPO team supported her with on-site technical guidance, including preparation of a break-even analysis, maintenance of business registers, identification of sales channels, and development of a three-year business plan—marking a shift from training to enterprise-level thinking.
In Uthamapalayam, the Farmers Producer Company Ltd conducted focused training sessions that combined mushroom cultivation with beekeeping, enabling members to diversify their income sources. The dual-skill approach is designed to support group-led production models and address the immediate financial needs of farming households through livelihood diversification.
Meanwhile, Vedasanthur Kalanjia Jeevidam continues to integrate mushroom cultivation into its regular capacity-building programmes. The trainings, conducted as part of member-level follow-up and institutional strengthening efforts, directly respond to group members’ demand for self-employment opportunities and specialized agricultural skills.
Together, these initiatives reflect Jeevidam’s commitment to promoting resilient, low-investment livelihood options that enhance farmer incomes and strengthen community-based enterprises.
