HAWAI, 6 Aug: The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Anjaw organized a week-long vocational training programme on banana chips preparation for the members of Bamaiya Women Self-Help Group (SHG) from Supliang village.
The main objective of the training was to improve the livelihood of tribal women SHGs members through value addition and food processing of locally available produce.
Senior scientist and head of the KVK Dr. Debasis Sasmal, who inaugurated the programme, emphasized the importance of promoting small-scale entrepreneurship among tribal women. He noted that value addition not only enhances the shelf life and market value of perishable crops but also opens up avenues for women to become self-reliant entrepreneurs.
“Empowering women with scientific knowledge and practical skills is the key to transforming rural livelihoods, especially in geographically challenging areas like Anjaw,” he said.
To ensure effective learning, KVK Anjaw provided all the required raw ingredients, including locally available bananas, oil, and spices. This enabled the participants to focus fully on the training without any financial burden.
Food and nutrition specialist Pooja Singnale gave a detailed demonstration on banana chips preparation on the first day. From the second day onwards, the SHG members took part in hands-on practice, preparing a total of 22 kgs crispy, tasty, and spicy banana chips.
The participants were trained in every step of the process, including cleaning and peeling bananas, slicing them into uniform shapes, mixing with a spice blend, resting the slices on muslin cloth for 30 minutes, and deep-frying them until golden and crispy.
Special focus was laid on good hygiene practices, safe handling of food, and scientific packaging techniques to ensure quality and shelf stability.
To strengthen their entrepreneurial journey, the KVK facilitated FSSAI licensing, provided attractive informative labels, and supplied good-quality stand-up pouch packaging materials.
The Bamaiya women SHG are scheduled to launch their product on 15 August, in the KVK stall at Hayuliang ground.
Beyond the training, the KVK has assured continuous technical support and follow-up guidance to help the women sustain and expand their enterprise.
Future support will include training on marketing strategies, and diversification into other food products to maximize their income opportunities.
The SHG members expressed their gratitude to KVK for the opportunity, stating that this training has boosted their confidence and given them a platform to contribute to both their families and the local economy.
