National Farmers' Day/National Mushroom Day was celebrated at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), East Siang in collaboration with the College of Horticulture & Forestry (CHF), Central Agricultural University (CAU) and the College of Agriculture, at CHF, Pasighat. The event saw the participation of around 80 farmers, scientists, students and officials.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. R. C. Shakyar, Professor, highlighted the infrastructure and achievements of CHF in mushroom production. He said the college currently has a production capacity of 100 kg, while spawn production has increased to 2 tonnes, reflecting the growing emphasis on mushroom cultivation in the region.
During the technical session, Dr. P. Raja, Professor and Principal Investigator, AICRP on Mushroom, CHF, CAU, Pasighat, delivered a lecture on "Mushroom Farming in Arunachal Pradesh – A Glance." He described mushrooms as functional foods rich in high-quality protein, dietary fibre, essential minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. He also elaborated on bioactive compounds such as β-glucans, polysaccharides, phenolics and natural statins, highlighting their immunomodulatory, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, anticancer and antimicrobial benefits.
The programme was graced by S. K. Sharma, Agriculture Development Officer (DAO), East Siang district, who encouraged farmers to adopt mushroom cultivation as a viable income-generating activity. Okili Linggi, State Vice President, Kisan Morcha, Arunachal Pradesh, strongly advocated organic mushroom cultivation, stating that mushrooms are naturally organic and can significantly improve farmers' livelihoods when cultivated scientifically.
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