Mushrooms and Value Addition Training

Congratulations also need to be given to a team of farmers from Waangwaray who have successfully completed food hygiene and value addition training delivered in partnership with the Small Industry Development Organisation (SIDO). This training focused on business management, food hygiene, product development, packaging and labelling. The farmers made tomato sauce, chilli sauce, dried cabbage, dried Mchicha and Mlenda flour. Understanding the different processes has enabled the group to develop new skills and they are developing a plan to launch their own small enterprise.

A few of the farmers we work with are trying to grow mushrooms but not being very successful. To aid this development, we have built our own mushroom sheds and have consulted a local specialist. He took us to visit other projects he has run, and we are now organising training for MCDO so that we can demonstrate to others how to successfully grow oyster mushrooms. There are potential market linkages to be made for both fresh and dried mushrooms which could generate a good income for all involved; this could help our delivery partners MCDO to generate an income for themselves.