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 veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
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 Mushroom money [INDIA] 
#8754060 - 08/10/08 03:33 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Mushroom money
August 11, 2008 - Hindu Business Line
 Fifty-two-year-old Lal Muni Devi has been leading a life of drudgery and poverty. Her husband is sick and unable to work, so Lal Muni and her younger son have to work as day labourersin other fields. What little she earned till now, she saved to marry off one of her daughters.
But Lal Muni is not alone. There are several like her in her village, Azad Nagar, living in dark windowless, single-room thatched sheds, which also double up as cowsheds for some. Life is indeed very tough for them.
Scientists visit
One day a jeep entered their village. As it screeched to a halt, it evoked the curiosity of the villagers. A bespectacled man, with a receding hairline jumped out and looked at the curious villagers.
Clearing his voice, he said: “I am Dr Khan, Principal Scientist from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Patna. We have come to speak to you. To help you, to help you earn money.”
“What money? ... help us earn money …?” whispers could be heard among the crowd, which had by now gathered around the jeep. “Yes, but all of you have to listen carefully to what we have to say. We have come to teach you to grow mushrooms and sell them. You can make money by selling them. The money will make you more financially independent,” said Dr Khan.
There was a momentary silence among the crowd. Some people looked at each other in disbelief.
A lone woman , stepped forward and, in a soft yet audible voice asked: “We have been working hard since our forefathers’ time as labourers in others’ fields. With what meagre income we have earned, we have found it difficult to make both ends meet. The situation has been like this for many years.”
Improving lifestyle
“That is true, but not any longer,” Dr Khan interrupted. “All these things will change and all of you can see how well your lifestyle improves, if you listen to what we say,” said Dr Khan, looking around anxiously at the people, expecting them to ask questions.
“If it is about earning money and if it is through good means, we are ready to listen to you,” said the woman. All the villagers nodded in agreement.
Muni Devi speaks up
“Good, now, you seem to be a bold lady. Tell me, what is your name?” enquired Dr Khan. “My name is Lal Muni Devi. I am a daily labourer here. I live in a thatched cowshed at the corner of this road. My husband is too ill to work. I have a grown up son, who works with me in the fields.”
“Good, I think most of you women gathered here must have a similar background?” asked Dr Khan, rather assertively. “Yes sir, most of us are in the same situation, some women are widows, for some their husbands are drunkards and for yet others, their husbands are chronic TB patients,” said Lal Muni, sadly. “From now on, we will teach you to grow mushrooms and provide free seeds and also help you to sell them. Is it okay with all of you?” asked Dr Khan eagerly.
“But how can we grow mushrooms. We don’t have any land?” Lal Muni asked. “You don’t need to have any lands. You can grow the mushrooms in your homes, I mean the place where you stay.”
Remunerative occupation
“Is it possible?” she asked. “Yes, growing them will be remunerative. For example, you can earn Rs 50-75 by selling a bag of oyster mushrooms, after spending Rs 8-10 a bag, in addition to the family labour. During dry season, you can cultivate oyster mushrooms in about 15 bags and harvest about 18 kg from a bag in the beginning. If you do it in a systematic way, you can harvest even 210 kg from a bag, which can fetch you a net income of Rs 10,500,” Dr Khan said.
Almost all the villages were astonished. These were the figures that they had never even dreamt of. “You can also cultivate milky-white mushrooms. For example, if you grow them in about 100 bags, you can harvest about 130 kg from a bag and get a net income of Rs 9,400. In six months, you could easily earn about Rs 20,000,” said Dr Khan. The next day, the scientists’ team, under the leadership of Dr Khan, arrived in the village and started taking classes for all who were interested.
“It is my sincere idea that all you women should form a sort of self-help group. You can also give a name to your group. By doing so, you will realise that all of you can benefit,” said Dr Khan.
Accordingly, a self-help group was formed and it was named ‘Mahila Utthan Samiti’, with Lal Muni Devi as its head. “It has been two years since the scientists came to our village to teach us about the value of growing mushrooms. Before their visit, we had never heard about mushrooms, leave alone growing them. Today, almost all of us from the self-help group are able to raise the mushrooms and sell them in the local market. We were able to earn nearly Rs 20,000 in six months,” said Lal Muni, with an expression of justifiable pride.
But all good things must come to an end. On the day the scientists were leaving, the entire village gathered in the same place where they had listened to Dr Khan two years ago.
“I am very thankful to all of you for extending your co-operation in making our project a success. More than the success of the project, the success of making each one of you financially secure and independent is a great achievement. Though we may be leaving now, we will again return and continue to monitor your progress,” said Dr Khan, with a voice choked with emotion.
The crowd remained silent, while most of the villagers were moved to tears. “Our village is grateful to all of you for teaching us to earn our livelihood respectably and independently, in the shade and comfort of our house,” said Lal Muni with full of gratitude.
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themange
Senior Citizen
Registered: 06/11/06
Posts: 2,809
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Re: Mushroom money [INDIA] [Re: veggie]
#8754194 - 08/10/08 04:05 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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 Ben18
Student
Registered: 08/24/05
Posts: 485
Loc: GA
Last seen: 3 days, 8 hours
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Re: Mushroom money [INDIA] [Re: themange]
#8754318 - 08/10/08 04:31 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/12/04
Posts: 11,945
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
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Re: Mushroom money [INDIA] [Re: Ben18]
#8754379 - 08/10/08 04:43 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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awesome, fuckin awesome
go india!
grow them mushrooms 
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Groomies
Ghost
Registered: 08/16/07
Posts: 1,119
Last seen: 1 year, 7 months
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Re: Mushroom money [INDIA] [Re: veggie]
#8754404 - 08/10/08 04:47 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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great story
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SkekTek
Lurker
Registered: 03/21/08
Posts: 287
Loc: South Florida
Last seen: 2 years, 9 months
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Re: Mushroom money [INDIA] [Re: Groomies]
#8754813 - 08/10/08 06:25 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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At first, I thought it would have a bad ending. But
I'm happy for the villagers! Nice!
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uber_aj
Monkey with a mind
Registered: 11/13/05
Posts: 4,243
Loc: Sea Lab
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Re: Mushroom money [INDIA] [Re: SkekTek]
#8755077 - 08/10/08 07:30 PM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Dr. Khan sounds like a good person, i can't believe they went that far out of their way to help these people.
great read! 
--------------------
Throw out your holy books and your talismans and your fear. Create your own authority and your own path; litter it with empty baggies, used contraceptives and fuzzy memories of wonderful times.
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demonicaeroponic
Ghost
Registered: 07/20/08
Posts: 276
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: Mushroom money [INDIA] [Re: uber_aj]
#8756854 - 08/11/08 02:56 AM (3 years, 9 months ago) |
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Absolutely amazing. I'd love to help out like he did, and make a modest living off of helping people support themselves in third world countries.
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Ophanim
The Molecule'sSpirit
Registered: 10/01/07
Posts: 995
Last seen: 3 months, 6 days
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Cool story! Don't know about the part where he refers to mushroom "seeds" though...
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