It’s a true win of science when the innovative ideas just don’t get space in pages but also in the real practical world. The landscape of higher education has a massive role to play in it where the professors and the student league are considered the true heirs for implanting science practically.
The students and the lecturers of MCM DAV College for Women, Punjab do understand the wonders of implementing the science. As such, the college has developed mushrooms from kitchen waste in plastic bottles.This has helped them win ‘best citizen-led innovation’ challenge by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Currently, their innovative idea is helping poor farmers in rural communities who had no land to grow extra crops. However, the idea of cultivating mushrooms in bottles requires very less investment both in terms of land and finance.
The idea was inspired by solid waste management at their college. Assistant professors Vandana Sharma and Sandeep Kaur took the lead with the help of other students.The process involves using clean and sterilised plastic bottles. Mushroom, being a kind of edible fungi are high in proteins.
The colleges aim to instil the benefits of having a mushroom in the diet for the villagers.It is also worth noting that mushrooms are an extremely good source of micronutrients like iron, zinc and magnesium.