Skill Development Training on ‘Waste to Wealth’ Empowers SC Farmers at KVK Bengaluru Rural

13 December 2025, Bengaluru

A six-day Skill Development Training Programme on ‘Waste to Wealth: Preparation of Value-Added Products from Flower Waste’ was successfully organised from 8-13 December 2025 at the ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bengaluru Rural, Hadonahalli, under the SC Sub-Plan (SCSP). The programme was conducted by ICAR–National Academy of Agricultural Research Management in collaboration with KVK Bengaluru Rural, with the objective of strengthening livelihood opportunities for Scheduled Caste (SC) communities through skill-based entrepreneurship.

The training aimed to build the capacities of unemployed farm women and youth by equipping them with practical skills in value addition and waste utilisation.

The Chief Guest, Dr. M. Balakrishnan, Principal Scientist and Chairman, SCSP, elaborated on various schemes supporting start-ups and employment opportunities under waste-to-wealth initiatives. He stated that skill-oriented training programmes play a crucial role in improving the economic conditions of rural youth and in addressing labour scarcity by promoting sustainable livelihood options.
The training provided intensive hands-on exposure to dried flower technologies, including collection, segregation, drying, and pulverization of flower waste.

Participants were trained in the preparation of agarbatti and dhoop, utilization of flower waste for value addition, and production of eco-friendly items such as biodegradable bowls, cups, table mats, and mouse pads. The programme also covered agarbatti specifications and standards (BIS & ISI), branding and marketing strategies, labelling and packaging, and entrepreneurship development. Additional modules included potpourri making, silica gel drying, flower pressing, flat art, and essential oil dipping processes.

Addressing the participants during the valedictory function, Dr. Y. N. Shivalingaiah, Directorate, Extension, University, Agricultural Sciences-Bangalore, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, Bengaluru, highlighted the significance of the Waste to Wealth concept and emphasized that converting flower waste into value-added products offers promising avenues for self-employment, women empowerment, and rural entrepreneurship. He stressed that collaborative efforts among institutions, communities, and industries are vital for scaling up such initiatives.

Earlier, Senior Scientist and Head, KVK Hadonahalli, provided an overview of ongoing extension activities in the region. He highlighted the vast potential of flower waste generated from temples, markets, and social events for producing products such as natural dyes, incense sticks, organic colours, compost, essential oils, and bio-enzymes.

The training programme significantly enhanced participants’ technical skills and entrepreneurial outlook, reinforcing the role of waste-to-wealth interventions in promoting sustainable livelihoods and inclusive rural development.

A total of 30 SC farm women and men from Doddaballapura and Nelamangala taluks of Bengaluru Rural district actively participated and benefited from the programme.

(Source: ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad)