๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐: ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐
Asma from Vypady village in Wayanad began farming to support her familyโs food needs. Like many rural women, agriculture was primarily limited to household consumption, with few opportunities for independent income.
Her path changed through the Oak Foundation-supported Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) initiative implemented by Swayam Shikshan Prayog.
Through a nutritional kitchen garden and diversified farming practices on 30 cents of land, Asma developed a growing interest in agri-entrepreneurship.
She later participated in SSPโs mushroom cultivation training and began cultivating a small number of mushroom beds in her backyard for home use. Encouraged by the positive results, she expanded the activity and eventually established a dedicated mushroom cultivation unit with 200 beds.
Today, Asma produces around 300โ540 kg of mushrooms per cycle and earns an annual income of nearly โน1 lakh through the sale of fresh mushrooms and value-added products such as mushroom pickle.
Her efforts were recognised by the Kerala Agriculture Department, which supported her with a โน23,000 grant under the Koon Gramam scheme to strengthen her mushroom unit.
Beyond her own enterprise, Asma has trained more than 300 women and youth in mushroom cultivation, encouraging many families to view small-scale farming as a sustainable livelihood opportunity.
โI started mushroom cultivation for my familyโs nutrition. Today, it has become my identity and livelihood. If women receive the right training, even small spaces can create big opportunities.โ
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
12 May, 2026
