Puducherry
India
The National Green Skill Development Program (GSDP) on Water Hyacinth Value-Added Products Entrepreneurship (NSQF Level 4 Certificate Course) was successfully conducted from 19 January to 11 March 2026at Kalanjiyam, Sri Aurobindo Society, Bahour. The program was organised by the Puducherry EIACP Hub under the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee, in collaboration with Svarnim Puducherry and Sri Aurobindo Society, with technical support from the Birbhum Institute of Rural Development Foundation.
The training program aimed to equip participants with practical skills to transform water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic weed, into valuable and sustainable products. The initiative brought together women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs), youth, and aspiring green entrepreneurs, enabling them to explore livelihood opportunities through eco-friendly practices and circular economy approaches.
Participants received hands-on training in various modules including water hyacinth collection, processing, and drying, handicrafts and weaving of value-added products, pulp and paper making, mushroom cultivation, and biochar and briquette production. Demonstrations on biogas systems, along with sessions on tools, product finishing, basic entrepreneurship, and market exposure, helped participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire value chain.
The program emphasized sustainable resource use by converting an environmental challenge into economic opportunity. By building skills and encouraging green entrepreneurship, the initiative contributed to sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, and the promotion of circular economy solutions within local communities. Participants who completed the training received a National GSDP certificate aligned with NSQF Level 4, recognizing their newly acquired skills in green enterprise development.