Kenya has developed a mushroom variety suited for warm weather, opening a new revenue stream for Mushroom Farming in Kenya.
The button type is also resistant to fungal and bacterial diseases. Scientists at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology– Institute of Biotechnology Research (IBR), have studied soils and found that the warm October – March season is ideal for growing the new variety,agaricus bitorquis. It grows at 25°C above other varieties.Kenyan farmers have been growing agaricus bisphorustype, which, was unfriendly to small growers who are unable to regulate temperatures close to the ideal 19 or 20°C. Such conditions have locked Mombasa, Kisumu and even around Nairobi out of mushroom farming, which has become popular among people changing their eating habits.
Demand for mushrooms has been growing but there has been a challenge in temperature control. The new release, scientists say, also tastes better than the bisphorus variety.
The new variety has a longer shelf life and is recommended for small scale farming.The economic advantage is that the new mushroom has less diseases, it is sweeter and has a better quality.
Seeds are available at the university and can produce up to 5,000 tonnes monthly. The university is training farmers on growing this new type of mushroom covering areas like production, packaging, preservation, pest and disease control and marketing.
Mushroom Farming in Kenya - Good loam soil is spread on the compost after germination of the spawn so a farmer should be ready with this. Loam soil is mostly found in forests as the top soil. With all these in place, a farmer can now say that he/she is ready to start mushroom farming.
Several things have to be put in place before starting mushroom farming in Kenya. First, you will need a room/structure which will house the mushrooms.
The size/architecture of the structure is not of importance as just about any room can serve as a mushroom structure.A farmer would need to line the inner walls of the room with polythene paper.
The roof and ground should also be lined to further increase humidity levels. This is to prevent the loss of moisture to the walls considering mushrooms require an certain moisture level to grow.
This mainly applies to wooden and mud structures which are commonly used for mushroom farming in Kenya.The room should contain shelves on which the mushroom bags will be put.
The more the shelves,the higher the planting capacity of the room so a higher roof is recommended for higher yield.
Mushroom Farming in Kenya - Now that the structure is in place, another requirement is the actual seed (referred to as spawn). Most of the farmers we contacted use imported spawn with South Africa as the preferred source.
However, we came across a young farmer in Eldoret who was constructing a lab with the aim of producing his own spawn to use himself and sell to the public.
The spawn will be planted on compost. Compost is a mixture of wheat straw prepared with several ingredients including gypsum, cotton seed milk, urea among others to form mushroom compost.
This prepared using a process of applying the ingredients on the straws and turning it. This will provide the needed nutrients for the mushrooms. A more in-depth description compost preparation shall be provided.
A farmer would then need polythene bags in which the prepared compost will be packed. This will act as the planting sites for the mushrooms. Clear bags are recommended since it makes it easier to spot diseases and insects.
Oyster and shiitake mushroom varieties are recommended for beginners in mushroom growing. They have a ready market in Kenya and can grow in many substrates, on small scale with moderate investment.
Oyster and button varieties are rich in nutrients while Shitake and Reishi have medicinal properties. You will need training on how to prepare substrates for mushroom growing and your agricultural advisor comes in hardy.
Alternatively, you can purchase ready made sterilized substrate from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology situated at Juja, 36 km northeast of Nairobi, along Thika Nairobi-Superhighway. Moi University at Chepkoilel Kenya sells hybrid mushroom spawns.
Fresh mushrooms make delicious stews which are taken with staple foods as an alternative to meat. Mushrooms can be value added by making mushroom-based porridge flour that is gradually gaining acceptance in the market.
Mushrooms can also be made into beverages like reishi coffee and tea. These are beverages based on the reishi mushroom which is known to be medicinal. Stakeholders in the mushroom commodity value chain have formed the Kenya mushroom growers association with an objective of strengthening the value chain, and linking the growers with the market and spawn producers, as well as to one another.
This will help to develop thriving business environment that continues to attract more members into mushroom growing. Horticultural Crops Development Authority has stepped up mushroom consumer awareness for a shift in feeding habits because farmers need to be assured of the market.
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