Cultivating Success: Kanaklata Das Turns Mushrooms into a Northeast Superfood

Guwahati-based entrepreneur Kanaklata Das is on a mission to redefine farming in Northeast India through her organization, Arihan Enterprise (partnership firm), which specializes in mushroom farming and value addition. Since its inception in 2014, Arihan Enterprise, along with its sister concern, Sewabikash Foundation (section 8 company), has trained over 10,000 farmers across the region, creating a ripple effect of sustainable agriculture and women empowerment.

A Journey Rooted in Innovation

Starting small, Kanaklata’s team faced a turning point during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted connections with cultivators across Northeast India. Rising to the challenge, they established a firm in Guwahati and shifted focus to sustainability and product diversification.

“We realized that solely depending on raw products wouldn’t ensure longevity. That’s when we ventured into food processing and value addition,” Kanaklata said.

The enterprise now boasts a lineup of innovative products, including king chilli and mushroom pickles, pineapple and tamarind mushroom chutneys, and a unique mushroom dry powder. The powder, rich in nutrients, finds applications not just in cooking but also in skincare, as an anti-ageing remedy.

Recognized and Supported

Kanaklata’s efforts have received unwavering support from the Department of Agriculture, Assam, and Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Azara. The organization has also benefited from training in food processing and mushroom cultivation under a government scheme in 2019. They secured loans worth ₹4 lakh for cultivation (with a 40% subsidy) in the year 2023 and ₹25 lakh for food processing from the horticulture department in 2024.

Empowering Women Farmers

What sets Arihan apart is its focus on empowering women. "Eighty per cent of our members are women. Mushroom farming is ideal for them as it requires just two hours of daily attention and can be done four times a year," Kanaklata shared.

Today, the organization works with over 500 cultivators, creating a robust supply chain while training 400 more under the Assam Project On Forest And Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC) project.

Accolades and Recognition

The journey hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2023, Arihan Enterprise won first prize for raw mushroom cultivation at the Agri-Horti Show. Sewabikash Foundation’s director, Anuj Kumar Saikia, was honoured with the Progressive Mushroom Grower Award 2024 by the Directorate of Mushroom Research in Himachal Pradesh.

Kanaklata herself made it to the Top 50 Women Entrepreneurs under the prestigious Tejaswini Assam Ideathon 2024, a business contest promoting solutions to local challenges.

Showcasing Northeast’s Rich Heritage

At events like Nandinii, Arihan not only displayed its mushroom products but also brought attention to indigenous rice varieties like red, black, komol, and jowa rice from districts like Nagaon, Morigaon, and Dhemaji.

A Platform for the Future

Kanaklata expressed gratitude to platforms like Nandinii for amplifying their voice. “Mushroom farming is more than just business—it’s a sustainable livelihood and a path to empower communities,” she said.

With innovation, resilience, and a commitment to her roots, Kanaklata Das is scripting a remarkable story of agricultural transformation in Assam, inspiring countless others to dream big.