POLICIES GOVERNING THE MUSHROOM INDUSTRY

1. POLICIES GOVERNING THE MUSHROOM INDUSTRY • Presentation to the mushroom stakeholders at Fair view Hotel on 13thMarch 2013. • By Margaret Orina. • MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE.

2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION • Importance of mushrooms in the agricultural sector • Aspects in the policies addressing mushroom production constraints • Current policies supporting the agricultural sector

3. Mushroom industry in Kenya • Mushroom is a high value niche market product. • In 2005, the industry was valued at ksh, 340 Million. • It was mainly grown by 5 large scale producers some of whom have abandoned production. • From 2005, shift from large to smallholder farmers. • Main varieties grown are button, oyster, medicinal varieties and local varieties,

4. Potential of Emerging mushroom industry • Natural resource (Environment).mushroom biodegrades by use of waste products. • Gender friendly as land is not a key production factor therefore appeals to (dissabled, women, youth and even children) • High nutritional & medicinal value (vulnerable groups and lifestyle diseases). • Employment creation potential • Income generation if done competitively

5. Why mushroom as an emerging crop • Kenya’s agriculture continues to be dominated by staple food crops and traditional high value export crops like tea, coffee and horticulture. • Declining production resources (Land, water, labor ,capital) • Increasing population • Increasing lifestyle diseases needing nutritional interventions.

6. Emerging crops policy: mushrooms. • Transform the competitiveness of mushrooms to reach the regional and international market. • Adopt modern technologies to make the industry efficient • exploit the industry for food security, • increased farm incomes • poverty reduction.

7. Challenges in mushroom value chain promotion • Expensive and unknown quality of spawn. • Lack of skills on substrates and their preparation • Lack of skills at production level • Lack of skills on structures in mushroom production • High perishability and poor processing skills • Poor linkages between various chain actors • Lack of information flow among chain actors • Lack of nutritional benefits and cooking methods

8. Key areas of policy interventions • Building competency of extension (public and private) to address capacity gaps along the entire value chain • Processing and Utilization of mushroom products to increase demand and competitiveness. • Markets and Market Access (infrastructure and market studies ) promotion

9. Key areas of policy interventions • Standards. Environmental aspects (pytosanitaryand food safety issues) at all linkages in the value chain • Strengthening linkages of key Institutions Involved to avoid duplication and promote information sharing. • Strengthening research and development along all the sectors of the value chain • Value chain governance and strengthening linkages. • Access to finance.

10. Recent Policies in the Agricultural sector • Vision 2030 (agriculture is one of the economic pillars) and can be linked CADDP • Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Plan 2008-2012 • Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS) • National Extension and private sector policy(NASEP) • National food and Nutrition security policy • National horticulture development strategy • The National agribusiness policy • National emerging crops development strategy. • The constitution of Kenya (2010)

11. Way forward. • Mushroom industry is an emerging industry and needs a lot of institutional coordination and backup from the government. • Thank you.