U.S.-based mushroom farmer Mbeng Adio Mushroom Farms (MAMF) Global LCC has awarded certificates to as many as 154 mushroom growers trained in mushroom cultivation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that MAMF Global, in collaboration with the Grassroot Agricultural Cooperative Society, previously organized a week-long mushroom training program to increase farmers’ production capacity and strengthen their economic power. .
Speaking on Wednesday after the event in Abuja, Dr Kingsley Obasohan, President of MAMF, noted that certification would allow beneficiaries to export their products and maximize their profits.
Obasohan said one of the challenges for mushroom growers in the country is the lack of export opportunities.
He pointed out that training and certification, MAMF Global would take mushrooms out of farmers and market them overseas.
According to Obasohan, the next phase of the organization’s project in Abuja is the monitoring and evaluation of each of the farmers’ mushroom farms.
The president noted that the organization had invested heavily in the country in terms of storing and drying the mushrooms before the final harvest abroad.
“The mushroom trade is very productive and economically viable.
“We are entering the next phase, which is agriculture proper.
“We support farmers with our monitoring and evaluation team in the field to technically provide farmers with the necessary support at the farm stage.
“Quite simply, we are investing a lot in terms of storage, we are going to provide a cooling system because we take the mushrooms from the farmers and dry them.
“We have a wrapping and drying machine that we will use to dry each product before exporting, so this is the huge investment put in place,” Obasohan said.
Likewise, Mr. Victor Olusan, president of the Grassroot Agricultural Cooperative Society, said certification would rid the mushroom sub-sector of the economy of bogus practitioners.
Olusan, who said the certificate contained an engraved code from the MAMF global website, stressed that “it cannot be tampered with by anyone.”(NAN)
