In recent years, mushroom cultivation has gained significant traction in our country, primarily due to the growing awareness of the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet.
However, despite the numerous benefits of mushroom farming, only a handful of people in our nation possess the knowledge and skills required for this endeavor.
One such individual who has successfully ventured into mushroom farming is 70-year-old Yabesh Chweya, a resident of Amaiga-Bobaracho village in Kisii County.
Chweya, a seasoned farmer and a respected pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, embarked on his mushroom cultivation journey a decade ago.
Drawing upon his professional expertise and experiences gained during his time in the United States, he returned to Kenya with a vision of sustainable farming.
According to Chweya, mushroom cultivation is a multifaceted process influenced by various factors such as climate, raw materials, cultivation techniques, and market demand.
The variety of mushrooms he cultivates is known as Oyster or Mamama mushrooms, which are popularly consumed directly as food.
Although there are other types of mushrooms, such as button mushrooms, Mzee Chweya takes pride in Mamama mushrooms.
For those who consider mushrooms poisonous, Mzee Chweya educates them about its nutritional value, asserting that it is a superior food item even compared to meat, a belief held by many.
He converted a room initially used for raising chickens into a mushroom cultivation space when poultry farming became less profitable due to rising feed costs.
This room is divided into three sections: the first section contains ground sugarcane bagasse, which, when mixed with other nutrients, serves as the mushroom growing medium.
He sources this raw material from the Transmara sugarcane processing plant in Kilgoris.
The second section is where the mushrooms are grown, and the last section contains preserved mushroom seeds in glass bottles.
Anyone interested in these seeds can purchase them for Ksh 500 per bottle. When cultivating mushrooms, Mzee Chweya emphasizes several crucial steps.
The first step involves nutrient mixing, where bagasse is combined with lime to create a specific mixture. This mixture is soaked in water and turned until it clumps together.
Since mushrooms thrive in clean environments, it is essential to pass the raw materials through steam generated from boiling water in the furnace.
Afterward, Mzee Chweya explains that the mixture can be placed in nylon sheets, buckets, or perforated sacks where the mushroom seeds are planted.
Mushrooms do well in a dark room with good air circulation. For a month, he sprinkles a little water during the day and evening to maintain the right humidity level and reduce the temperature inside the cultivation room.
“This mixture begins to generate heat, which helps eliminate harmful insects that could cause diseases harmful to the mushrooms,” he explains.
Finally, the temperature is lowered to about 20 degrees Celsius, and the windows and doors are opened to allow fresh air and light to penetrate and reach the mushrooms.
This sudden change enables the mushrooms to start growing, and within one and a half months, they mature and flourish.
The farmer can continue harvesting mushrooms for four consecutive months without interruption.
To ensure he doesn’t have to buy mushroom seeds from the store, Mzee Chweya produces his own seeds from harvested mushroom tissue, which he mixes with millet and stores in bottles.
As of 2022, he owned 50 bags, and he believed his production capacity could have been higher if not for the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the market demand.
However, he was optimistic that his business would recover.
In one cycle, these bags can yield up to 500 kilograms of mushrooms. Since he sells one kilogram for Ksh 600, within four or five months of harvesting, he can generate Ksh 300,000.
When harvesting mushrooms, he emphasizes using clean hands.
“Grab the stem of the mushroom in the middle and twist it gently until it detaches. Make sure you remove everything from the bag as leaving the stem inhibits the growth of new mushrooms,” he explains.
He also advises understanding the market demand before harvesting to avoid storage costs. He harvests mushrooms according to customer needs, and he has never lacked buyers for this rare commodity.
Geoffrey Nyakundi, a nutrition expert in a Kisii town hospital, states that consuming mushrooms helps reduce blood pressure by lowering sugar levels in the body. Mushrooms also aid in preventing allergies and provide immunity against various diseases.
What surprises Mzee Chweya is that not a single young person has ever visited his home to inquire about mushroom farming.
“Young people say there are no jobs, and I don’t see those jobs coming anytime soon. If young people want to be helped, then this is the work that can uplift them. There is money in the soil if only they are willing to get their hands dirty,” he advises.
