Mushroom Production Center

SOFAFRICA MUSHROOM SHED

STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION

THARAKA NITHI COUNTY

KENYA.

Mobile: +254 722 294 239

Email: [email protected]

CONTACT PERSON:

Vincent Kenyani

Co- Founder

SOFAfrica

SOFAfrica Is an initiative platform for innovation, creativity and services to improve the livelihood of the local communities. It is a project created in 2018 to eliminate hunger and create food security within the communities in Kenya.

Our Mission is to empower communities by giving them informed choices to improve qualities of life through integrated community development with modern farming methods & capacity building.

Objectives

• To offer new educational ideas for the local farmer in modern agricultural methods.
• To encourage farming communities in Kenya to embrace technologies for enhanced food production all year round without destroying the environment.
• To promote fresh and nutritious food without the use of chemicals.
• To introduce new farming technologies for a wide variety of agricultural products.
• To develop new processes of irrigation and soil amendments.

Project’s Rationale, Innovation and Justification

Food security has been a major hurdle and challenge to many developing countries in that, most peasant farming communities still practice traditional seasonal farming. This is dependent on regular seasonal rainfall which has now become unreliable due to climate change. The three (annual) planting seasons can no longer be relied upon anymore, resulting in the lack of food security and famine in some regions. The lack of modern farming education and skills allow only the traditional crops of Maize, sugar beet, beans, sorghum, millet and rice to be grown and gives only a limited and poor nutritious diet.

We have in the past and still share the word about implementing new farming methods through public forums, schools’ practicals, local bazaars and administrative authorities i.e. Local area chiefs & village headsmen and women, word of mouth and of course social media (to those who have embraced internet technology).

Project’s Strategy and Activities

The project target beneficiaries include families and communities in rural areas as well as the development of urban farms. It will be community centered and will utilize experience & new ideas / methods for the best practice and innovation in the implementation processes.Functional and simple farming literacy will be used in English and / or Swahili. All the forums will be participatory and will use the following tested methodologies i.e. short lectures, videos shows, group discussions, role plays, case studies, own experiences, school farming projects, hands on experience and on the demonstration farm.

Projects’ Monitoring and Evaluation

Regular meetings will be held by all those involved to monitor and evaluate the projects. Statistical data will be collected and recorded regarding the life cycle of mushrooms and different crops such as tomatoes, kale, cucumbers, lettuce, capsicum, coriander, pumpkin etc., for a data base that can be shared with interested parties.

Different varieties of mushroom and same crop will be tested for quality, taste and resistance to disease and best suited for the region.

• Mushroom Shed Structure Construction This will be done by hired local laborers on a part time basis and under the supervision of a qualified experienced Trainer from the ministry of Agriculture

Nutritional Value and Benefits of Mushrooms

Nutritional Value

• Protein
• Fat
• Vitamins and minerals

Protein content of dry weight is between 19% and 35%

Low rate of fat content between 1-8%

The high content of linoleic acids is one of the reasons why mushrooms are considered healthy food.

Mushrooms are a good source of vitamins such as thiamine (Vitamin B).Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Miocene, biotine and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), folic acid.

They also contain significant amounts of phosphorus, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and Zinc.

As you’ve probably heard, mushrooms are good for you. So good, in fact, that people often use them as medicine.

You may also be aware that almost every ancient civilization around the world has used mushrooms for their healing properties for thousands of years. (Ancient Egyptians even called them the plant of immortality.)

But you may not realize just how powerful edible mushrooms can be for healing people.

Perhaps surprisingly, humans are more closely related to fungi than to any other kingdom. Some of the essential molecules in mushrooms (a form of fungi) have been present in the human diet for so long that our bodies now depend on them — which could be part of the reason why they’re so good for us.

Mushrooms are a superfood, and one of the most health-promoting foods on the planet. An estimated 50% of edible mushrooms are considered functional foods, meaning that they have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition.

Countless scientific studies have revealed a variety of ways mushrooms can be useful in preventing and treating serious health conditions — and in improving overall health.

In fact, research has identified more than 200 conditions that may benefit from mushroom consumption and more than 100 different beneficial effects they can produce for the body. Some of the conditions include: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Cardiovascular Diseases, Clotting, Breast Cancer: Lung Metastasis, Bacterial Infections and Mycoses, Stomach Cancer, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexual Arousal Disorder, Pulmonary Cancer, Pancreatitis: Chronic, Low Libido, Liver Fibrosis and many more. (source: Google)

Types of Mushrooms

There are several types of mushrooms. However; it is found that there are those that are edible and non- edible ones.

Our minds will now zero down to the edible ones which include:-

• Button – Agaricus
• Oyster – Pleurotous
• Shiitake - Lentinula Edodes
• Straw -volvallella Volcacea
• Chinese Mushroom – Ganoderma
• Termitomyces- No known scientific name

IN OUR PILOT PROJECT WE INTEND TO START WITH: BUTTON & OYSTER – which have overwhelming demand!

Results of Analysis On Oyster Mushrooms

KENYA INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

P.O Box 30650 NAIROBI

Tel; 535966/84/90

Direct line: 555011

Junction of Dunga and Lusaka Roads- Industrial Area

LABORATORY REPORT

MaterialDRIED OYSTER MUSHROOMS

Laboratory no……………14/05/17…………… Date received-3/08/2017-Sampled by VIMPRO

Received from…….G.T.Z.(PSDA)…………………………

Lab. No.	140/05/06
Sender’s Ref:	-
Parameters:
Proteins (%w/w)	33.28
Iron (%w/w)	0.02
Zinc (%w/w)	0.008
Fiber (%w/w)	7.60
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) (%w/w)	0.07
Selenium (%w/w)	N.D
Carbohydrates (%w/w)	36.80
Fat (%w/w)	2.26
Free fatty acids (as Oleic acid) (%w/w)	0.96
Phosphorous (%w/w)	0.43
Magnesium (%w/w)	0.21
Calcium (%w/w)	0.006
Sodium (%w/w)	0.06
Potassium (%w/w)	2.15
Moisture (%w/w)	13.51

DETAILED BUDGET

MUSHROOM CULTIVATION SEASON 1
EQUIPMENTS:			UNITS	UNIT PRICE	MATERIALS	LABOUR	TOTAL COST KSHS	TOTAL COST USD
ITEMS
Mushroom Shed Construction			1	120,000.00	90,000.00	30,000.00	120,000.00	1,200
Electric Dryers			3	6,000.00	0	0	18,000.00	180
Weighing Scales			2	4,500.00	0	0	9,000.00	90
Metalic Drums (200 litres)			2	2,000.00	0	0	4,000.00	40
water tower			1	19,995.00	15,995.00	4,000.00	19,995.00	199.5
Airtight Lids			2	1,000.00	0	0	2,000.00	20
Plastic Troughs			4	200	0	0	800	80
Protective Gloves			3	500	0	0	1500	15
Dust masks			3	200	0	0	600	60
Gum boots			3	1,000.00	0	0	3,000.00	30
Overalls / Dust coats			3	1,200.00	0	0	3,600.00	36
Wooden Mixing Table			1	12,000.00	0	0	12,000.00	120
			0	0	0	0
						TOTAL	194,495.00	1,944.95
SEASON 1
EQUIPMENTS:			UNITS	UNIT PRICE	MATERIALS	LABOUR	TOTAL COST KSHS	TOTAL COST USD
OPERATIONAL COST
Spawn			300kgs	180,000.00	0.00	0.00	180,000.00	1,800
Substrate			7 Tonnes	20,000.00	0	0	20,000.00	200
White Spirit			20litres	5,000.00	0	0	5,000.00	50
Broiler Starter Bags			2pcs	12,400.00	0	0	12,400.00	124
Polythene Bags			2 Rolls	11,000.00	0.00	0.00	11,000.00	110
Polythene Bags			3	2,400.00	0	0	2,400.00	24
Lime			I bag	1,800.00	0	0	1,800.00	180
Plastic Water Tank ( 4000 Litres)			1	35,000.00	0	0	35,000.00	350
Logistics			0	0	0	0	25,000.00	250
Packaging plastics for Transportation			0.00	17,500.00	0	0	17, 500.00	175
Casual Labourous			4	45,000.00	0	0	45,000,00	450
						TOTAL	355,100.00	3551
			GRAND TOTAL KSHS 549,595.00
			GRAND TOTAL USD 5495.95