Anita Devi: The Mushroom Mahila Transforming Rural Bihar
Anita Devi, better known as the ‘Mushroom Mahila of Bihar,’ has single-handedly revolutionized rural livelihoods in Nalanda district by empowering hundreds of women through organic mushroom farming.
She Struggle, She Survived, She Success
When Anita Devi began her mushroom farming journey in 2010, she faced skepticism and taunts from co-villagers who dismissed her efforts as futile. Desperate to earn an income, she approached the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Harnaut, Nalanda, where officials advised her to try mushroom cultivation. She received training at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University in Samastipur, Bihar, and G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand.
Some villagers, particularly women, mocked her for growing “gobar chatta” (the local name for wild mushroom), constantly telling her it wouldn’t change her life. But this home science graduate had a vision that would transform not just her life, but the economic landscape of her entire region.
Building an Empire of Empowerment
Today, Anita’s success story is nothing short of remarkable:
Impact on Women: She has mobilized nearly 250 women across 11 villages in Nalanda district to take up mushroom cultivation, with plans to double this number to 500 by next year.
Economic Transformation: Her monthly income exceeds Rs 25,000 from mushroom farming alone. Before Anita took up mushroom farming, her husband Sanjay Kumar was struggling financially. The profits from their mushroom venture enabled him to open a garment shop in Madhopur, while their two sons pursue horticulture studies and their daughter is pursuing a B.Ed degree.
Infrastructure Development: Two years ago, she established a high-tech lab for mushroom seed production with financial support from the National Horticulture Mission. The lab now sells 20-25 kg of seed daily to women farmers, NGOs, and government agencies. When she started, she had to purchase just 20 kg of seed from Rajendra Agriculture University. But when demand grew to 300 kg, the university refused, saying that much seed wasn’t available for one buyer. This prompted her to create her own production facility.
Community Recognition: Her native village Anantpur was declared a “Mushroom Village” in 2012 by the Bihar state agriculture department, recognizing her pioneering work.
The Business Model
A few years ago, Anita founded the Madhopur Farmers Producers Company Limited, which she runs from her newly-built house, and linked women to self-help groups (SHGs) under Bihar’s Jeevika rural livelihood program. She primarily focuses on growing Oyster and Milky White mushrooms, which thrive in the local climate and can be cultivated indoors with minimal investment. Oyster mushrooms grow on almost all types of agricultural waste, which is locally available free of cost.
Both varieties are suitable for Nalanda’s climate, offering profits of two to three-fold. While women are keen to grow button mushrooms, the high-tech requirements and investment needed make it unfeasible for now.
Daily production from her center ranges from 15-20 kg, sold at Rs 80 to wholesalers and Rs 120 to retailers.
Ripple Effect of Change
The women Anita has trained are now earning members of their families, no longer dependent on husbands or relatives. Stories abound of women using mushroom profits to educate their children as engineers and create self-employment opportunities for their families.
“Mushroom farming has not only empowered me and hundreds of other women, it has given boost to our rural economy,” says Anita, who now speaks with the confidence of a business executive from her office adjacent to her home.
Recognition and Legacy
Local communities and government officials acknowledge Anita as an icon of women’s empowerment. Her work demonstrates how agricultural innovation, when combined with community organizing and determination, can lift entire villages out of poverty while preserving environmental sustainability through organic farming practices.
From being ridiculed to becoming a role model, Anita Devi’s journey embodies the transformative power of perseverance, knowledge, and the courage to challenge conventional expectations.