Yemisi Izuora
For the first time, local farmers are set to witness another festival like Calabar carnival called Mushroom festival which is premiering for the first time in Nigeria.
The event scheduled tomhold in Lagos on the 30th September and 1st of October 2018, is an exhibition and seminar/campaign based awareness event that will focus on intimating Nigerians/Africans on the nutritional, health and financial benefits attached to mushroom cultivation promoting it as a way of achieving poverty alleviation and improved livelihoods as part of the sustainable development goals.
Mrs. Chi-Tola Roberts, president of Mushroom Development Foundation Nigeria speaking in Lagos, said the Mission of “Mushfest 2018” is to promote mushroom and all its benefits, educate consumers and to promote tourism in Nigeria, while financially supporting local landless poor and the internally displaced persons.
On the inspiration, Chi-Tola, said, “I founded Mushroom Development Foundation out of passion to help improve livelihoods of the rural poor and the urban landless poor too. In totality to help all improve livelihoods. After a careful study of what other countries are doing with mushroom and how it has and is still helping them live better, I just felt Nigeria can tap into the huge opportunity there is in the mushroom market both locally and internationally.
According to her, Mushroom Development Foundation-Nigeria, an organization dedicated with commitment to promoting the best growing standards and creating awareness for edible and medicinal mushrooms in Nigeria birth for Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information and to strengthen the mushroom industry’s position in the marketplace, maintain and expand existing markets and uses for mushrooms, and develop new markets.
She said the Foundation will play a very important role in the national promotion of fresh mushrooms through consumer public relations, foodservice communications and retail communications. Many different venues will be used to promote fresh mushrooms to consumers, and also dedicating the month of September for celebration of national mushroom month every year.
Speaking further, she said, Mushroom farming today is being practiced in more than 100 countries and its production is increasing at an annual rate of 6-7 per cent, adding, “In some developed countries of Europe and America, mushroom farming has attained the status of a high-tech industry with very high levels of mechanization and automation.
Present world production of mushrooms is around 3.5 million tonnes as per Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO statistics and is over 25 million tonnes (estimated) as per claims of Chinese Association of Edible Fungi. The wide variation in world production data in FAO statistics and CAEF is partly due to the fact that in FAO statistics mushroom means button mushroom (Agaricus spp.) along with the boletes, morels and tuber, whereas CAEF data covers all types of mushrooms. China alone is reported to grow more than 20 different types of mushroom at commercial scale and mushroom cultivation has become China’s sixth largest industry.
Chi-Tola further notes that Mushrooms Development Foundation -Nigeria is in light of the above driving a cause that will see edible mushrooms organically grown by farmers of this Foundation with its Growing Standards Policy & Guidelines widely acceptable in Nigeria and beyond.
The Mushroom Development Foundation Nigeria is in Partnership with Mushroom Development Foundation India and the China Edible Mushroom Business Company, working out seminars, trainings and empowerment programs for Nigeria.
The Foundation has so far published a Growing Standard Handbook that must be acquired and practiced by all growers in Nigeria as a guide setting the standards and procedures that mushroom growers can use for safe mushroom growing and it is doing all it can to empower, train, create awareness and encourage the cultivation of edible mushroom in Nigeria all self-funded.
The foundation has about 600 growers tagged ranging from personal to small scale to medium scale to large scale and commercial growers of Mushrooms.
The seminar will display of mushrooms (Dried, Fresh, Baked), scheduled mycologist speakers throughout the day, discussion with knowledgeable persons in mushrooms and their identifications, learn about ecological role of fungi and their uses as food, medicine, livestock supplement and dyes etc. The Mushroom Festival is a family event, attracting quests of all ages. There will be recipe stands for different recipes from mushroom, exhibitions, B2B Networking, International investors etc. It’s going to be fun. Festival visitors will be able to ask questions and even purchase the best of mushroom growing kits and products.