Young girls trying to make a difference!

ALLAHABAD:These young girls are out to make a difference in the lives of rural people bytaking science to their doorstep. They are advocating biotechnologicalalternative income resources by introducing technological breakthroughs likeintegrated prawn-fish culture, rearing African duck, honey-bee venom extractionand mushroom cultivation in villages here.With an aim to makefarmers economically stronger by ensuring the optimum use of their farm land andavailable water bodies, girls of the zoology department of Allahabad Universityhave taken up various sites to showcase the possibility of adopting thesetechniques. For the first time ever in UP, prawns are being culturedin ponds in villages here. Dr Anshu Malhotra has taken up four sites, whichinclude village Mundera at the outskirts of the city, Kalerabagh Gaon at thebanks of river Yamuna, Sirhar village near Mirzapur and Moukhas near Fatehpur,where prawns are being cultured for marketing. "A species of prawn namelyMacrobrachium rosenbergi grows in fresh water bodies. We are supplying theseprawns to villagers who have patta over ponds or have any other water body andalso providing technical inputs for their culture. These prawns fetch a veryhigh price in the market and hence an alluring alternative for farmers," saysAnshu. She is also advocating culture of Ctenopharyngodon fish,commonly known as Grass Carp, in the same water body and rearing Khakhi Campellduck, a duck from African species which gives an egg every day, by constructinga dyke on the same pond with prawns. It works in an integrated manner, with theduck excreta as fish feed. This species of fish is a surface feeder whereasprawn is a bottom feeder. Prawn feed which is in the form of pellets is veryexpensive. "For a beginning, we have provided the pellet makingmachine and instructed villagers to use indigenous materials like dried powderof Chilva fish as protein component, guvargum as binder, husk of rice andmustard and vitamins to make feed pellets. Of these, everything is locallyavailable, only vitamins need to be purchased," Anshu adds. Marketing too hasbeen worked out. Whereas the fish and egg would get the local market, prawnsfind a market in a Delhi. The wholesalers at Ghazipur have agreed to receiveprawns from train and pay a price varying between Rs 250 to Rs 300 per kg. Analluring income enhancer indeed!This is not all. Dr Neeshma Jaiswal,who has recently been awarded the DST Young Scientist Award, is offering somealternatives to village women. She is teaching village women the technique ofhoney-bee venom extraction. In fact, the young girl has created a honey-beevenom extractor device using indigenous material and applied for its patent too.Village women can use their land to raise honey-bee colonies and sell honey asalso their venom. Honey-bee venom, used in many medicines, is priced even higherthan gold, between Rs 5,000-6,000 per gram. The venom extractordevice uses a light current of 8-10 volts which annoys honey-bees and they biteat the framed glass panel. They are shooed away and the glass panel is scratchedto collect the venom. This venom is immediately stored at freezing temperatureand then marketed, informs Neeshma. Keeping in mind limited expenditure forvillagers, Neeshma has also taught village women to build honey-bee boxes usingwood from Lantana weed. It costs merely Rs 150 and the extractor device costsonly Rs 250. Mamta Tripathi, an MSc student is encouraging women totake up mushroom culture of Pleurotus Saroj Kaju species in their free time."This species does not require too much of maintenance. Only some space,moisture, disinfectant, polythene bags and dry grass is needed and mushrooms areready within a month," she informs. She is also involved with promotingvermiculture in villages. Mamta Rawat, another MSc student has taken up rearingKhakhi Campell duck in her house in village Mundera. "I am rearing these duckson dyke made with local wood and wire mesh and also digging a pit for prawnculture. Though other villagers are interested, they plan to take up theseincome generating avenues once they see me earn well," she addssmilingly.Even as the wait and watch continues for other villagers,these girls go ahead with their mission with zeal and enthusiasm knowing wellthat villagers might take time to accept these ideas, but once accepted, thesewould make an appreciable positive difference in their lives!