GFAR blog

YAP Proposal #284: Good pay every week from mushroom growing (Theodomir Sebazungu, Rwanda)

TheodomirSebazungu

Rwanda is the second most densely populated nation in Africa after Mauritius. Despite having a very small agricultural land area, the agricultural sector remains the economic backbone of Rwanda, employing about 87% of its population. Unfortunately, most agriculture is extensive farming and cannot produce enough for the market.

Rwanda requires crops that can be planted on little land but with high yield per square meter. Mushroom farming is one of the few crops that can serve for this purpose. From each square meter a farmer can earn up to $100 USD every 8 days, as stated by Prof. Mbonigaba, the general director of the Rwanda agriculture board.

“This farming is very rewarding because the mushroom market is big and expanding,” Prof. Mbonigaba added.

I am Theodomir Sebazungu, 28 years old, from Rwanda, and by participating in this competition I want to grow indoor mushrooms from a pre-made kit. I already have training on growing mushroom and I have been farming on a small scale for home use and the benefit of my neighbors. I now want now to produce for a wider market.

The $5000 grant will allow me to buy more mushroom kits, to hire a big building for indoor farming, to hire one new employee, to buy a tricycle motorcycle for cargo delivery to take mushrooms to the market, and to buy two refrigerators for conservation of mushrooms that have not been immediately sold. All this will be done within a period of four months.

This seed grant will increase my mushroom production and enable me to secure a wide market, as well as to help feed boarding school children and malnourished children who are being cared for in nutrition centers.

As it is labor intensive, mushroom growing is expected to create more jobs for my community. Eating mushrooms is a solution for children suffering malnutrition.

Please support me, Theodomir, by commenting and liking this blog.

 

Blogpost and picture submitted by Theodomir Sebazungu (Huye, Rwanda) – zungumir88[at]yahoo.fr

The content, structure and grammar is at the discretion of the author only.


This post is published as proposal #284 of “YAP” – our “Youth Agripreneur Project”.

The first selection of the winners will be based on the number of comments, likes and views each proposal gets.

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Have a look at the other “YAP” proposals too!
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“YAP” is part of the #GCARD3 process, the third Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development.

24 thoughts on “YAP Proposal #284: Good pay every week from mushroom growing (Theodomir Sebazungu, Rwanda)”

  1. I would recommend to reach the Kamembe market. There is a very high demand for mushrooms.

    1. Thank you Dear Zachee. We appreciate such information and we will take it into consideration as we grow our targeted market. Unfortunately we are not yet able to satisfy the market this time.

  2. Think especially this will help many children suffering malnutrition here at Southern province.Keep it up

  3. Wow, that is a good idea. Mushrooms are very important and very useful in fighting against nutrition related challenges in pediatric age and in adults as well.

  4. That is good help for critical case we meet every day due to malnutrition. This will be better also to educate how to produce it themselves in their daily life.

  5. Good and important as they are of nutritional value and helping economically. Rwandans really need them.

  6. It’s a starting stone to prevent malnutrition diseases in under five years old and promote household economical development. Keep it up Dr. Theodomir.

  7. For me, it’s an interesting step that Rwanda really needs and we always need such innovation to empower our mothers and improve feeding capabilities.

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