HAYULIANG, 8 Sep: Forty-two participants, including villagers from Khupa, Zero, Tafraliang, Hayuliang, Mele, Gamliang, Chikruliang, Blom, Nenuliang and Metengliang, and members of SHGs, participated in a weeklong vocational training programme on ‘value addition of locally available locally available underutilised vegetable – colocasia’, organised by the Anjaw KVK.
The programme, which concluded on Sunday, was inaugurated by KVK staffer Dr Soibam Peter Singh, in the presence of KVK Head Dr Debasis Sasmal and the Child Development Project Officer.
Dr Sasmal highlighted the importance of value addition and other ongoing agricultural activities at the KVK, and encouraged the participants to “adopt kitchen gardens and integrate agricultural practices for better nutrition.”
Resource person Pooja Singnale emphasised the nutritional benefits of colocasia, noting that it is a rich source of energy, protein, iron, calcium, and fat. She taught the participants how to prepare colocasia chips from the roots and colocasia namkeen from the leaves, explaining how to reduce the oxalate content and the itching caused by the plant. The method involved blanching the vegetable with boiling water, salt, and lemon or tamarind to prevent enzymatic reactions and preserve nutrients.
In addition to food preparation, Singnale stressed the importance of attractive and protective packaging to effectively market the products. She also covered the critical aspects of labelling, such as including nutritional information, shelf life, manufacturing and expiry dates, and the need for FSSAI registration and licensing to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.
The programme featured hands-on sessions, during which the participants were given ingredients to prepare the recipes they had learnt. After completing the food preparation, the participants also packaged and labelled their products, gaining practical experience in the value addition process.
Certificates were later distributed to the participants Dr Sasmal.
ArSRLM block coordinator Bisaiso Kri supported the programme, the KVK informed in a release.
