Download Mushroom Production in Namibia

REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND FORESTRY
Department of Agriculture –Research and Training (Plant
production)
Promotion of Mushroom Cultivation in Namibia
By Lydia N. Horn
Prepared for the Seminar on Edible Fungi Application and
Management for African Countries.
Beijing, China November 21-December 05 2007
Mushroom Production in Namibia
• Mushrooms in general are well known among Namibian
farmers and are widely consumed in the northern regions
during the rainy season
• Although no formal scientific mushroom cultivation in
Namibia has been attempted before the 90s
• In 1999 the first funded project for mushroom was launched
in Namibia working in collaboration with the University of
Namibia
• Awareness and training workshops started in 2003, where
extension and research officers were trained
• Later in 2003, the Ministry of Agriculture,Water and
Forestry in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce
of China sent participants to the training on edible fungi
held in Fuzhou City Fujian Province
• Experience was gained and applied at home institution
• A project on mushroom cultivation and promotion In
Namibia was encouraged by the Division of Plant
Production Research in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water
and Forestry at the beginning of 2004
Why Mushrooms
• mushrooms play a very important dietary role in human
nutrition and health worldwide when used as a dietary
supplement
• On a dry weight basis, mushrooms are made up of about
30% protein (Oei 1996) and this protein is endowed with
all the essential amino acids
• Mushrooms are low in calories and carbohydrates, are
almost cholesterol free and are high in vitamins and
minerals, all of which serve as important essential
requirements for human health (Chang and Miles 1997).
• Contribution to livelihoods in Namibia
• Idle for those who are unable to cultivate fields due to
sick health (HIV/AIDS, TB and others)
• Crop diversification
Preparing the mycelium for seed inoculation at
the University of Namibia
Inoculation Box for on-farm demonstration
Spawning materials
Field crop residues & Substrate preparation
at Omahenene Research Station
A group of Women monitoring the Substrate
Steaming during training session
Inoculation of substrate in the laboratory and
at the training workshop
Inoculation of substrate continues with Women
group and with University of Namibia students
Ideal houses for mycelium and mushroom
growth: Namibia
Mycelium development & fruiting bodies
Watering in the mushroom house
Mushroom
house inside
Challenges
Namibia
facing
mushroom
production
in
• Dry weather conditions
• Lack of sterilizing equipments
• Unavailability/inaccessibility to mushroom strains that are
suitable for Namibian environments
• Lack of proper trained personnel in the field of mushroom
production
• Lack of know how on the conditions needed for mushroom
growth
• Lack of funding sources for the project experimentations
Harvesting and cooking
END