(3-minute read)
· In Rwanda’s Southern Province, Nyanza District, a widows’ cooperative is successfully using mushroom farming to lift themselves out of poverty.
· The savings group, which started with just 12 women in 1995, has now transformed into a 30-member cooperative with significant business volumes.
· Mushroom cultivation, which has a wide market in Rwanda and abroad, has transformed the livelihoods of its members and others.
· The cooperative is now adopting modern practices to grow mushrooms and market the products.
In Rwanda’s Southern Province, Nyanza District, a widows’ cooperative is successfully using mushroom farming to lift themselves out of poverty.
The savings group, which started with just 12 women in 1995, has now transformed into a 30-member cooperative with significant business volumes. Mushroom cultivation, which has a wide market in Rwanda and abroad, has transformed the livelihoods of its members and others. The cooperative is now adopting modern practices to grow mushrooms and market the products.
Mushroom farming has many advantages. It requires only very little start-up capital. Each member invested 400 Rwandan francs. The project was sponsored by ActionAid Rwanda, a non-governmental organization. The success of the initial stages motivated them to form a cooperative. They were able to farm on a small plot of land because mushroom cultivation requires limited space while generating a significant yield. Today, the cooperative earns about 40,000 RWF ($41) per day from selling mushroom spawn. This venture has not only provided them with better occupation but also comfortable livelihoods for the people who depend on them.