Mushroom project to bring cash

THE Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, has appealed to residents of the Hardap Region to take the lead in mushroom production.

Mutorwa was speaking at last week’s inauguration of the Mariental Mushroom Project, funded to the tune of N$450 000 by Nedbank Namibia and supported by the University of Namibia (Unam). The project is part of the country’s zeri (zero emission) mushroom development and promotion project.Mutorwa urged the residents of the southern town involved in the project to share their experience with other communities in the country.About 50 people have been trained in mushroom farming in Mariental and surrounding constituencies.It is expected that each member will earn around N$700 a month.The Minister said the project would not only provide much-needed jobs but also supplement the diets of the people of the region and alleviate poverty.”I call upon the community members themselves who are involved in the project to work harder and make positive use of this mushroom production house,” he noted, adding that the project has many potential benefits.Mushrooms are a highly nutritious food source with high quality protein, vitamins and minerals.Mutorwa urged researchers in the country to make extra efforts and to collaborate with each other in the endeavour to better understand and unlock the economic potential of the indigenous mushrooms.Speaking at the same occasion, Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse-Himarwa expressed hope that the project would supplement efforts to bring about prosperity and sustainable development to the people of the region.”Poverty has entrenched itself in immeasurable proportions in the households of the people and consequently denuding people’s self-esteem and dignity,” Hanse-Himarwa said.”We, therefore, as leaders of the region, have an uncompromised responsibility to fight this disease called poverty that afflicts thousands of people.”The Governor called on leaders in the region to re-dedicate and re-direct efforts to improve the conditions of the poor in the region.Other mushroom projects in the country are at Katutura (Khomas Region), Gobabis (Omaheke), Henties Bay (Erongo), Ogongo (Omusati) and Okaku in the Oshana Region.Some people who have been involved in mushroom production over a longer period are already selling them to nearby shops, supermarkets, tourist lodges and guest farms.NampaThe project is part of the country’s zeri (zero emission) mushroom development and promotion project.Mutorwa urged the residents of the southern town involved in the project to share their experience with other communities in the country.About 50 people have been trained in mushroom farming in Mariental and surrounding constituencies.It is expected that each member will earn around N$700 a month.The Minister said the project would not only provide much-needed jobs but also supplement the diets of the people of the region and alleviate poverty.”I call upon the community members themselves who are involved in the project to work harder and make positive use of this mushroom production house,” he noted, adding that the project has many potential benefits.Mushrooms are a highly nutritious food source with high quality protein, vitamins and minerals.Mutorwa urged researchers in the country to make extra efforts and to collaborate with each other in the endeavour to better understand and unlock the economic potential of the indigenous mushrooms.Speaking at the same occasion, Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse-Himarwa expressed hope that the project would supplement efforts to bring about prosperity and sustainable development to the people of the region.”Poverty has entrenched itself in immeasurable proportions in the households of the people and consequently denuding people’s self-esteem and dignity,” Hanse-Himarwa said.”We, therefore, as leaders of the region, have an uncompromised responsibility to fight this disease called poverty that afflicts thousands of people.”The Governor called on leaders in the region to re-dedicate and re-direct efforts to improve the conditions of the poor in the region.Other mushroom projects in the country are at Katutura (Khomas Region), Gobabis (Omaheke), Henties Bay (Erongo), Ogongo (Omusati) and Okaku in the Oshana Region.Some people who have been involved in mushroom production over a longer period are already selling them to nearby shops, supermarkets, tourist lodges and guest farms.Nampa