There is an immense need of trainings of Fruits & Vegetables Preservation using several low cost techniques especially for the members of the Self-help Groups working in this sector, who, after successful completion of the training, can act like a Master Trainer for the other members of the Self-help Gosthies/Group or other interested people in their villages.


By utilizing the expertise of the Staffs of Training and Canning Centers under Directorate of Agricultural Marketing, Govt. of West Bengal for the total training purpose, the Institute conduced 14 days residential training program for the representatives of Self Help Goosthies/groups. Additionally One time financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh was provided to each of the 7 SHGs for procurement of mercenaries/ accessories/ reagents for establishing F.P units.

The objectives of this training program are as follow:

    To reduce post-harvest losses of perishables at farm level.

   To provide knowledge on post-harvest management and value addition of the farm produce.

   Create a team of Master Trainer, who after completion of the training, can train other members of the Self-help Group or other interested people in their villages.

   Create a team of trained people, who may be linked to any market intervention programs related to Fruit and Vegetable Preservations undertaken by Deptt. of Agricultural Marketing, Govt. of West Bengal.


The total training program may be broadly divided into:


a.         Theory classes: Duration is of 6 days. Total 24 classes of 1 hour and 30 minutes each is proposed to be conducted in the theory part, which mainly cover the following broad areas:

   Food preservation and processing Principles

   Low cost Food Preservation Methods

   Fruits & Vegetables Drying

   Preparation & preservation of Squash, Cordial, Syrup & RTS beverage

   How to prepare bankable projects

   Different subsidies grant and criterion for establishing food processing units

   Various departmental schemes of Agricultural Marketing Department for fruit and vegetable processing sectors.

b.         Practical classes: Duration is of 4 days. During this time, the trainees visited one of the following centers, as per availability of the Labs and Practical training facilities:

i. Training and Canning Center, Chinsura, Hooghly;

ii. Training and Canning Center, Barasat, 24 Parganas (N) and

iii. Kolkata Community Canning Center, Kakurgachi

However, all the practical classes for one batch were conducted in a single center. After completion of the practical classes of each day at the TCPC centers, they will return to NSTIAM.

c.         Visit to Food Processing Unit for Field Orientation: One visit of 3/4 days will be conducted to the farm of other private entrepreneur / organization, where the trainees will see and learn the followings:

i. How the fruit and vegetable processing units are running

ii. How to create Brand of a product

iii.How to perform good packaging of the processed food items

In the farm of private entrepreneur / organization, the trainees attended practical demonstration classes, which was conducted by the trained professionals of that organization and for that, a separate budget has been considered.

d.         Local Field Orientation: Once after the training part is over at NSTIAM, the trainees shall visit the District TCPC offices of their own district to conduct the following activities:

Day Activity Participants
1

a.   Visit to District TCPC centers

b.   Briefing of the activities to be conducted in next 4 days

c.   Formation of groups for the next days

The total Trainee Team
2

a.   Visit to District Lead Bank

b.   Interaction with Lead Bank Officer

Group 1 formed by the trainees
3

a.   Visit to the office of Deputy CMOH II of the District

b.   Interaction with Deputy CMOH II regarding FSS licensing

trainees
4

a.   Visit to District Industrial Center of the District

b.   Interaction with GM, DIC for EM licensing

Group 3 formed by the trainees
5

a.   Visit to District RMC

b.  Visit to the Krishak Bazar of their Block

b.  Final interaction and development of next plan of action

The total Trainee Team


The major objective of this program was to interact with the District officers of their own district related to their activities.

It was also proposed that the Coordinating Officer for the training program for the district may assist the trainee groups conducting such activities successfully. A separate budget for that has been considered in the training budget.

In the final day of the training, there will be one valedictory session followed by Kit distribution to the trainees.

Selection of the candidates of SHGs were done through District Magistrates of respective districts.

One Coordinating Officer from Department of Agricultural Marketing was nominated for each district.