Vivekanandalya (a Saath Saath Charitable Trust project for Gram Vikas Yojana, the Village Enrichment of Velanshwar, Guhagar, District Ratnagiri) in asscoication with Excel Industries Limited, Lote, conducted a workshop on 7th Sept 2018 at Bhaktaniwas.
The objective of the workshop was to earn maximum revenue from the Nachani (Finger Millet) crop by making various value additions.
The workshop started off by an inaugural speech by Mr Sharad Joshi, Chief Trustee of the Saath Saath Charitable Trust. Mr. Shantanu Abhyankar (Trustee Saath Saath Charitable Trust), extended a warm welcome to Mr. Vivek Shende of Excel Indutries. Mr. Shende spoke about how Excel Industry has been continuously sponsoring research about Nachani (Finger Millet) to promote various manifestations of Nachani to increase the return on the yield.
Later Dipti Sawant and Supriya Jadyal representatives of Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (A group focussed on economic development of women), Ratnagiri Sadhan Kendra( CMRC)) conducted the workshop.
They demonstrated how to use extract of Nachani (Finger Millet), Satva, and use it to make Idli, Modak, Noodles
Manchurian (Shev), Ladoo, Wade etc. The workshop participants were encouraged to do the practicals and a variety of mouth watering delicacies were prepared.
Around 35 women from various Self Help Groups(SHG) participated and learnt to cook these food items.
They enjoyed the workshop immensely and expressed desire to make these on a commercial scale.
Thanks to the effort of Mrs. Sampada Kelkar and Shri Prakash Deole for putting in mammoth effort to make this workshop a booming success.
The next step would be explore the possibility of creating a Commecially viable unit to add value to the Nachani produce so that more revenure is generated from the same efforts.