The edible mushroom business is worth $20bn worldwide, but Africa is a net importer and its share of worldwide production is negligible. East Africa imports button mushrooms, yet has the markets, the climate and the raw materials to make button mushrooms a regional success. Edible mushrooms are also a nutritional powerhouse. Protein is 30% of the dry weight and they are also rich in minerals (zinc, iron) as well as vitamins.

AgDevCo’s investment of $450,000 has funded a modern button mushroom facility near Musanze, Rwanda. The investment is also funding the scale up of production. AgDevCo will continue to play an active role in advising the business on its marketing and export strategy into the East Africa region as well as support for its smallholder oyster mushroom programme.

• 49% of staff in 2017 were women.
• New income for local wheat farmers, paid for straw as a key input for mushroom substrate. Straw would otherwise be a waste bi-product.
• Supported the establishment of a modern button mushroom facility.
• Each year the smallholder oyster mushroom programme aims to generate income for local, rural communities as well as promoting production and consumption of highly nutritious oyster mushrooms.