Earlier this month (July), the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Hon. Lynda Tabuya along with officials from the China-Fiji Juncao Technology Demonstration Center Team Leader, Mr. Lin Xingsheng met with the Makoi Women’s Fellowship Group to raise awareness on mushroom farming as a sustainable income source for women.
The Makoi Women’s Fellowship Group was eager and interested to explore this initiative as a viable cash crop in backyard gardens. A total of 53 women and 2 men participated in the session and each participant was given 20 mushroom tubers to plant in their backyard. Since the awareness session, a total of 9 tubers were planted to which 270 edible mushrooms (8 kg) were harvested within a week. The tubers can be consistently utilized for a period of three months, after which time it can be ground into soil manure. In addition, 80 tubers were planted that will produce mushrooms that can be used for medicinal purposes and will harvest within three months.
Ms. Jokapeci Peau, a representative from the women’s group, mentioned that one of the struggles for women living in the peri urban areas is trying to meet their everyday needs. The session with China Fiji Juncao Technology Centre has provided the women’s group opportunities to generate income and also a source of food security for their families.
Ms. Peau would like to encourage all women’s groups living along the Suva Nausori corridor to explore this initiative as it is an easy way of farming and harvesting takes a week.
Mushrooms are a good source of vitamins and protein and can be incorporated in every day meals for families to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases.