Mushroom Cultivation In Nepal

[Melissa Russian]

Mushroomsare classified as vegetables in the food world, but they are not technically plants. They belong to the fungi kingdom. Despite them not being vegetables, mushrooms are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. Their high protein and fibre content make them a great alternative to meat.

Malnutrition in Nepal is extremely high. 1.7 million children in Nepal currently suffer from at least one form of malnutrition (WHO, 2018). PHASE Worldwide incorporates nutrition into our primary healthcare provision as well as runs integrated programmes to address the root causes of malnutrition. Recently, we have been supporting mushroom cultivation as part of our livelihoods work in Sindhupalchok and Mugu. By growing mushrooms, communities can greatly improve their nutritional intake and tackle malnutrition.

Growing mushrooms is cost-effective and easy to do. The process requires mushroom spawn; a substrate or growing medium (something the spawn can grow into); and a warm, damp and dark environment. Whilst mushroom spawn is more difficult to source, substrate is found in abundance for cultivators living in rural areas. Common mushroom-growing substrates include roots, straw and agricultural waste products. The substrate is inoculated with spawn and placed somewhere warm and dark, such as a barn or a shed, where it receives periodic dampening. The mild seasonal temperatures in the Far West regions of Nepal create an ideal climate for growing mushrooms. The whole process involves very few inputs, allowing for mushrooms to be cultivated continuously alongside traditional crop farming.

The nutritional and financial value of mushrooms is becoming increasingly recognised. PHASE Worldwide are currently the only NGO supporting mushroom cultivation in the Far West of Nepal through our Addressing Causes of Malnutrition programme, funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), which recently came to the end of its first year. A recent article on the challenges to mushroom cultivation in Nepal has reported that insufficient investment; poor quality of mushroom spawn; outdated technology; and poor harvest management is preventing rural farmers from unlocking the true potential of mushroom cultivation.

The achievements and positive results from mushroom cultivation are becoming increasingly recognised in the international development sector. Alongside our other health and livelihoods programmes, mushroom cultivation is fast becoming one of the most effective tools for tackling malnutrition in remote communities. PHASE Worldwide and PHASE Nepal have recently been recognised by the UK Government for our contribution towards SDG 2: Zero Hunger.

However, it is the personal achievements that make these projects so worthwhile. Stories of people like Bachkali, who has received support for vegetable growing and mushroom cultivation. She is now able to not only produce nutritious vegetables for her family and provide a steady income and become independent. On this, she writes:

If you would like to support the work of PHASE Worldwide and help us to continue empowering people living in isolated regions of Nepal the best way to do so is through regular giving. Even the smallest amount a month can make a huge difference. As a regular supporter you will receive exclusive updates and will become part of the PHASE family. You can set up your regular gift easily and securely online.

Conclusion

Mushroom cultivation is actively growing business in Nepal.Mostly four types of mushrooms are very popular in Nepal. They are Agaricus, Pleurotus Volverella and Lentinus(Shiitake). Pluerotus is most popular mushroom grown in Nepal since temperature required for mushroom is higher than Agaricus and lower than Volvorella. Another important cause of increasing interest of farmers to cultivate mushroom is available of raw material for all kind of mushrooms and good environmental condition where mushroom cultivation can be done through out the year under natural condition or on little modified environment. Although high temperature and humidity encountered during the cultivation due to improper incubation area lead to slow mycelial growth and yield of the mushroom. So, if propr sterilized condition along with proper atmospheric condition can be maintained for the incubation of mushroom it can be sucssfully grown even in lower altitude and off season condition. This can be a effective means for earning extra income even to the resource poor farmers.

Mushroom cultivation is a viable option for farmers in Nepal due to the availability of raw materials and a favorable environment. Oyster mushrooms are the preferred variety among Nepalese farmers, and they cultivate them throughout the year. This article focuses on the prospects and challenges of mushroom cultivation in Godavari Municipality, based on primary and secondary sources of data.

The primary data were collected through interviews with 20 farmers involved in mushroom farming. The study found that mushroom cultivation has high prospects due to its rich source of nutrition, source of income, and medicinal use. Additionally, mushrooms are a ready-to-eat food in various forms, such as fried, crispy, noodles, and more. They can also be used to make delicious pickles, chutney, cake, tea, and biscuits. Furthermore, mushrooms can be processed into powdered form, capsule form, canned products, and mushroom-enriched cosmetics such as soap, toothpaste, cream, oil, etc. By diversifying agricultural production and generating significant employment opportunities, mushroom farming can become a lifeline for rural and semi-urban areas. However, the study also found that mushroom cultivation faces challenges such as the high cost of raw materials, lack of labor, and an imperfect market. To mitigate these challenges, the local government must formulate effective policies to promote mushroom farming in the Nepalese context.

Mushroom cultivation has significant prospects in Godavari Municipality, Nepal, due to its nutritional value, medicinal uses, and various forms of consumption. However, there are also challenges that farmers face, such as the high cost of raw materials and lack of labor. By implementing effective policies, the local government can help to mitigate these challenges and promote mushroom farming as a viable and profitable crop for Nepalese farmers.

Event participants were taught how to prepare logs for shitake cultivation. The ideal log length and size were discussed. Farmers were instructed on ways by which to maintain a wood moisture content of around 40 percent in the prepared logs to create a fertile environment for the mushrooms to grow. This is achieved by leaving the logs on the forest floor or a shade house for a number of days. A machine is then used to drill holes, from 1.5 to 2 cm deep. Shitake spawn are inserted into these holes, which are then covered with wax to prevent contamination by wild fungus.

For the participants, the training was a good opportunity to learn about how to use the utis trees that are abundant in the region to generate income. They have prepared an action plan stating that by February 2017, all of them will have grown shitake mushroom on a minimum of 50, and a maximum of 200 logs. The cultivation is set to take place in pilot project sites. The first year will be a test run of sorts, and the lessons learnt from the experience will be used to multiply shitake cultivation in Taplejung.

The Environment Conservation and Development Forum will be responsible for monitoring the process, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Knowledge Park will provide technical support and information.

A Short History of Mushroom Cultivation in Nepal Mushroom cultivation was initiated by the Division of Plant Pathology,

Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) in 1974. The growing technology for white button mushroom was developed during that early period and extended to general farmers starting in 1977. It utilized the synthetic media of paddy straw, which is harvested twice a year in Kathmandu. Of course, a few farmers grew mushrooms before the introduction of the technology but the number of button mushroom growers has increased year after year thanks to the spread of the technology.

The growing technology to grow oyster mushroom using chopped straw packets was introduced to the farmers in 1984, and since then mushroom cultivation has become more popular among farmers. These two kinds of mushroom cultivation systems have been employed by farmers in about 25 districts within Nepal. The Centre for Agricultural Technology (CAT) has recently introduced straw mushroom (Volvoriella volvacea) cultivation in the Terai districts and shiitake in the hill districts and has been instructing farmers how to grow them since 2001.

Oyster Mushroom Cultivation in Nepal

Oyster mushroom cultivation was introduced to Nepalese scientists in 1981. Research on the proper substrate and climatic conditions for oyster mushroom growing was carried out by the Division of Plant Pathology. Growing Pleurotus sajor-caju on stump and chopped paddy straw packets was successful in Kathmandu in 1982. The technology, which was distributed to farmers in 1984, was so simple, easy to adopt and suitable to the climate of Kathmandu valley that farmers could adopt it quickly. The cultivation practices, which produced quick returns, spread like wildfire. Poor farmers were willing to try mushroom growing on a small scale in order to augment

their incomes. The growing of the species P. ostreatus was introduced later in 1998. These days farmers prefer P. ostreatus because it has higher productivity and can be grown during the winter in Kathmandu. Thanks to this

Cultivation Method Practiced in Nepal

The cultivation method for oyster mushroom production using paddy straw in Nepal is as follows. Paddy straw is selected from the field by choosing fresh, not old, clean and straight pieces, of good quality. These straws are manually chopped into small pieces (2-3 inches long) using the locally hand-made chopper. Chopped straw is then soaked in water for 2-4 hours, or sometimes overnight, in a container or a small ditch specially made for this purpose.

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