The Department of Processing and Food Engineering at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-All India Coordinated Research Project on Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (AICRP on PHET), organized a one-day training programme titled “Entrepreneurship Development Programme in Agro-Processing for Better Livelihood”. Held at Village Birmi, District Ludhiana, under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP), the program catered to 25 SC/ST participants, combining theoretical knowledge with practical demonstrations.

Dr MS Alam, Principal Scientist and Scheme in charge inaugurated the session, emphasizing the importance of agro-processing in reducing post-harvest losses, promoting agricultural diversification, and creating employment opportunities for rural youth. He encouraged participants to explore ventures like domestic honey processing and utilize PAU’s facilities for agro-processing initiatives.

The training featured a range of expert-led sessions where Dr Surekha Bhatia, Principal Biochemist, demonstrated techniques for producing high-quality jaggery to boost economic returns, Dr Sandhya, Senior Scientist, showcased small-scale post-harvest processing machinery developed by PAU, Dr Manpreet Kaur Saini, Entomologist, shared strategies for effective grain storage to mitigate losses caused by pests, Dr Rohit Sharma, Scientist, provided insights into processing machinery for wheat, rice, and spices and Dr Gagandeep Kaur, Food Microbiologist, highlighted the potential of mushroom cultivation and processing, particularly oyster mushrooms, as a viable supplementary income source for small and marginal farmers.

Participants also explored equipment such as a moisture meter and oil expeller, gaining hands-on experience. Free resources, including milled rice packets, processing kits, and PAU literature, were distributed to attendees and annual memberships for Changi Kheti, fostering ongoing engagement.

The event was organized with the support of Sh. Kamaljit Singh and Sh. Ravi Kumar, who facilitated registration and logistics.