Rwanda gives mushrooms an ideal place to live and grow. Its northern hills, set above 1,800m, provide fresh temperatures year-round, and the sort of wet humidity mushrooms love. Rwandan farmers cultivate 50,000 hectares of wheat, and wheat straw is a favorite food of oyster mushrooms.

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are a dietary dream come true. They are rich in protein, but better still, contain all essential amino-acids, those the human body cannot manufacture and must absorb from outside sources. They also provide good amounts of iron, zinc and other minerals as well as various vitamins.

Oyster mushrooms also offer unbeatable yields. One hundred square metres can produce nearly 5 tons of fresh mushrooms a year. No other protein producer - be it animal or plant - can even come close. This means that when land is scarce, mushroom growing is your best choice to extract the most protein from your plot.

How to grow oyster mushrooms section

 

Kigali Farms buys-back roughly 35% of out-grower production, proving market demand for mushrooms.

 
 

Prepare a place to cultivate your mushrooms. It should be covered to let in little light and be free from rain.

Tegura aho uzahinga (hasakaye, hatinjira izuba cyangwa imvura).

Ensure that the area is cleaned very well.

Hakorere isuku ikenewe, ku buryo hasa nk’ahashyashya.

If you do not have a raised platform, place a plastic sheet on the floor and pour 1-2 inches of soil.

Niba udafite agatanda, tegura isashi uyisase hasi ubundi unyanyagizeho agataka.

Unwrap the substrates and place in an upright position. Leave a hand width space between each substrate. (Place an average of 50-60 substrates per square metre). 

Tera imigina ihagaze ugende ushyiramo akanya (kuri metero kare imwe hajyaho imigina hagati ya 50 na 60).

Cover the substrates with soil.

Nyanyagizaho itaka hejuru.

Water twice a day (in the morning and evening). You should aim to pour around 300ml of water per substrate per day.

Jya ubyuhira mu gitondo na nimugoroba ku buryo umugina ubona amazi ahwanye n’agacupa ka fanta ku munsi.

Before you harvest, make sure that all your equipment and utensils are clean.

Mbere yo gusarura, sukura ibikoresho byose (ibyuma, ibyo usaruriramo, n’ibindi).

When harvesting, work carefully. Hold the mushrooms from the base. Be careful with the knife while trimming off the soil.

Sarura wigengesereye ukoreshe icyuma gityaye ukate witonze.