COMMERCIALIZATION OF

MUSHROOM PRODUCTION IN ASALS

Grace Mwangi
N17/3/1562/015

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 Research Problem
• Agriculture contributes about 25% of the total GDP and
another 27% indirectly through linkage with other sectors.
• Farming in Kenya is mainly done in small scale by farmers
who constitute about 80% of the total population.
• Subsistence farming has become quite unreliable due to
the changes in climatic conditions.
• The phenomenon of climate change has had adverse
effects on the way of life in the ASALS and calls for
concerted effort to design and implement interventions
that will be sustainable and climate proofed.

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 Intervention Strategy
• This study proposes mushroom farming as one
of the ways of curbing poverty and improving
living standards.
• Adoption of mushroom farming in both large
and small scale levels will play a big role in
provision of employment at various levels in
the production chain.
• It will also be a favorable alternative source of
food security.

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Why mushroom production
• Mushroom production requires minimal water
provision.
• The cost of production is relatively low
• The returns are high; currently 1kg of mushroom
goes for ksh600-800.
• It is an efficient crop as it makes use of
agricultural waste
• The mushroom house can be made from locally
available material
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A picture of growing mushrooms

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A picture of a mushroom house used by
Vogha Women’s Group

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The general objectives of the study
• To sustainably improve the livelihood of rural
ASAL population through mushroom
production.
• To promote gender equity and equality by
sensitizing for the adoption of mushroom
farming by women and the abled differently.

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 Specific Objectives
• To compare the differences in sustainable
income between mushroom farmers and
other related processing enterprises and
individuals depending on rain fed crop
production and pastoralism in ASALs.
• To evaluate the nutritional level of mushroom
producing households
• To determine mushroom farming efficiency.

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 Methods of Data Collection
• The study area is Taita Taveta County.
• Primary data collection methods were:
I. Field observation
II. Personal interviews
III. Use of questionnaires

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 Secondary Data

• Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

and Mushroom Pests Analysis by Allah Dad Khan.
• Growing Mushrooms Commercially, Risks and
Opportunities by Danny L .Berney.
• Ensuring Success in Oyster Mushroom Cultivation
through Market Strategies by Chandregorda.
• Mushrooms as a Strategy to Reduce Food Insecurity
in Tharaka Nthi County, a study by Sande Anne.

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 Results and Discussion
• Results of the study indicated that the level of
awareness about growing and the current
value of mushrooms was less in the county.
• The data collected on awareness,
consumption and value of mushrooms on a
sample of 100 households is indicated in the
table below.

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A Determination of
the Extent of Description Numbers
Mushroom Awareness Yes No
Level in the County Have seen growing 100% 0
mushrooms
The results show that Have eaten mushrooms 65% 35%
the Taita Taveta Have knowledge on 30% 70%
mushroom farming
communities are
familiar wi8th the
appearance of the
mushrooms but s
minimum of them are
well ad versed with
their market and
nutritional values

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Factors Affecting the Factors that negatively impact on % of
Acceptability of mushroom production population
Mushrooms in the County affected
No cultural value 12%
Findings of the study Lack of skills for the preparation of 22%
indicated that there mushrooms
was insufficient Fear of the poisonous nature of some 2%
mushrooms
knowledge on
mushroom production Insufficient knowledge about the 52%
mushroom value
as an enterprise. Dislike for the mushroom taste 12%
Previous studies also
assert that gender and
age are also important
in determining the
attitudes towards
mushrooms.

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 SWOT ANALYSIS FOR MUSHROOM
PRODUCTION
Strengths Weaknesses
• Climatic conditions do not affect
production
• High financial cost
• Abundant raw materials and technical • Requires quality packaging
pace material
• Cheap manpower
•
• Energy requirements for
Enormous domestic market
• Does not require big financial preservation after harvesting
commitment or involve cumbersome and during transit
technology
• Poor transport infrastructure
• Mushroom production will develop self
reliance among women • Poor raw material quality
• The grower can sell directly to the • Lack of technical awareness on
customers at the farm gate or local market
•
mushroom production
Value addition can be done
• Sustainable harvesting is independent of • lack of technical support from
the weather the government and other
• Composted substrate can be used as institutions
organic mulch 14
 SWOT Analysis for Mushroom Production
Opportunities
• Decline in the production of
mushrooms in other countries thus
breaking down the trade barriers
• Well adopted modern technologies
for production and post harvesting
management
• Increasing awareness and liking for
mushrooms in the domestic
markets
• Mushrooms are rich in nutritional
benefits
• Sharing costs through groupings
• Organic mushrooms fetch high
prices
Threats
• Fierce competition from
China and existing canned
mushroom markets
• Demand shift towards fresh
markets
• Emerging insects pest
damages
• High cost of mushroom
spawn
• Risk of supply exceeding
demand if market is not
properly developed 15
Conclusion and recommendations
• Mushrooms can be a part of the solution to
the food shortages experienced in Kenya.
• The negative attitudes towards the acceptance
and consumption of this product has been
attributed to the lack of awareness about its
value as well as management skills.
• Its acceptance can be enhanced through
commercialization which includes:

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 Conclusion and Recommendations

I. Fortification of mushrooms with other foods

II. Cultivation of mushrooms
III. Putting emphasis on value addition
• Agricultural policies that promote mushroom production
should be developed.
• There is need for different stakeholders to work together at
all levels to promote positive attitude towards mushroom
production in order to increase productivity and
diversification of food products.
• Further research needs to be done to establish sustainable
methods for the management as well as value addition .

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 How much to expect
• Button mushrooms take less than 14 weeks to
mature .
• An 1/8th acre farm requires about 1kg of spawn
that costs about ksh800 per kg.
• This farm can produce as much as 2tons of
produce.
• Each kg goes for an average price of ksh600 and
this translates to as much as 1.2 million Kenya
Shillings in sales revenue.
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 My Work Plan
DESCRIPTION MONTHS  
SEP OCT NO DEC JAN FEB MA APR MAY JUN JUL AUG
V R

Concept paper writing

Proposal writing
Data collection
Data analysis
Report writing and
presentation

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THANK YOU

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