Mushroom farming to uplift livelihoods

Women and the less fortunate will benefit through the learning technologies involved in mushroom farming, Professor Kenneth Matengu of the University of Namibia says.

Speaking at the opening of a four-day course on mushroom cultivation to promote food security and human health, Matengu – the pro-vice chancellor for research, innovation and development at Unam - said mushrooms can be processed into high value export products.

This presents opportunities for income generation, he said.

“Children under five years old will benefit from the nutritious, high protein, vita-rich and micro nutrient-rich baby and infant food and other products which will be developed through the project,” Matengu said.

The training, hosted by Unam’s Zero Emissions Research Initiative (ZERI), is offered by the university’s Multidisciplinary Research Centre. It will benefit entrepreneurs, youth, women and researchers of science and technology, as well as agricultural institutions within the Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio) network of eight countries.

SANBio is a New Partnership for Africa’s Development agency flagship for collaborative research, development and innovation which will through the production and consumption of edible and medicinal mushrooms encourage women and youth to become entrepreneurs in agri-business.

This will in turn empower communities to harness Africa’s biodiversity. - Nampa