TAWANG, Jan 12: ITBP and Winrock International India put on collective efforts to enhance the livelihood of remote border villages. To start with their noble venture, the duo chose Brokenthang, a border village in Tawang District, just 11 km from the Indo-China international border. 
As a part of the joint livelihood enhancement program of 4th Battalion of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Winrock International India (WII), a medium scale mushroom cultivation unit was recently established at Brokenthang. The processing centre was constructed employing only the villagers which generated direct  labour opportunity to the villagers to a tune of more than Rs 35,000. The processing centre and the infrastructure required for mushroom cultivation (racks etc) has been constructed using local resources.
Mushroom is a traditional protein source for the people of western Arunachal Pradesh and is mainly collected from the forests. At present very few mushroom production centres are present in this part of Arunachal Pradesh which are not able to meet the huge market demand.
The processing centre is of 24 sq metre area and has facilities of mushroom production in a scientific manner. The programme will provide training for the entire village in mushroom production and market linkages have also been established. The production will start in the month of March 2010, after the peak winter subsides. The Program Officers of Winrock informed that the production centre has a capacity to produce more than 30,000 kilogramme of mushroom per annum which can generate approximately a profit of Rs 4 lakh for the villagers.
At a function organized in Brokenthang on January 9 last, Commandant 4th Battalion of ITBP, Jackson P Therratil, distributed the wages to the villagers for the construction of processing centre in the village. The function was also attended by Program Officers of Winrock International India, Dr KM Jayahari and Monalisa Sen, ZPM Sangey Norbu, Anchal Chairperson Namgey Tsering, and Chombay Kee, Secretary General, Yuva Arunachal.
Therratil reiterated the commitment of ITBP towards livelihood enhancement of border villages and requested the villagers to make use of the opportunity to generate more income using the potential of the market.
Chombay whole-heartedly appreciated the initiative aimed to enhance the livelihood of an economically backward village like Brokenthang. He also encouraged the villagers to sustain and preserve the centre to set an example for others to follow.
Jambey Tsering