Launching our village mushroom production project

We will establish a mushroom production facility for 15 households as their source of income and nutrition as well as a pilot for other groups to emulate. Mushroom is an alternative food with very large potential for increasing income and nutrition and it can be grown easily in small space using surplus agricultural waste such as rice straw, banana leaves and coco-coir dust. It is high in protein, amino acids, no cholesterol, no sugar and high ratio of unsaturated fats. It has tremendous ability to improve nutrition as well as provide income during this Coronavirus pandemic. The farm waste as substrate can then be recycled as organic fertilizer mix for vermi-compost.

The mushroom production and processing facility at the Mahangub Integrated Farm in Naawan Municipality and to be managed by a group of 15 households will enable them to source their nutritional needs from the harvest as well as generate income from surplus production. This is especially significant during this Coronavirus pandemic where food is scarce and malnutrition abounds.

The mushroom production facility will grow oyster mushroom as well as straw mushrooms in agricultural waste coming from farms around the area. The resulting mushrooms will then be used by the growers as their alternative source of nutrition and the surplus sold as fresh in the local market. A small portion will be value-added with the production of powdered mushrooms and dried mushrooms for condiment. The facility will produce their own spawns for their needs as well as for market to other growers and enthusiasts in the province. Production of mushroom seeds (spawns) is a big problem by would-be growers and the absence discourage them from going into the venture. We will be getting Mr. Enrico Imperio as our pro-bono resource person in the production of spawns.