Zimbabwe

Income Generation Through Mushroom Production

Mushrooms are an excellent source of income and nutrients and there is a large national and international demand.  The majority or rural-poor farmers in Zimbabwe grow maize and soyabeans, the best substrates for mushroom cultivation.  Most farmers lack capital to buy mushroom spawn and the promotion of mushroom production is limited.  This project aims at empowering farmers to buy mushroom spawn and produce high quality mushrooms for sale.

The Zimbabwe Agricultural and Extension Services, the Zimbabwe Farmers Development Trust and the Zimbabwe Farmers Union will help in identifying suitable farmer groups in different locations.  The project will initially assist 50 farmers in groups of 10.  These groups will repay the initial capital invested in mushroom spawn and pass on the benefits.  It is estimated that the project has the potential of benefitting up to 600 people per year, due to the short production cycle of approximately one month.