Mission

With the title ‘Listing and cultivation of local varieties of edible mushrooms’ the mission was carried out by the AgencyBotanic Garden Meise (APM) and Kigali Farms, a company specialised in mushroom cultivation in Rwanda.  

The project aims to facilitate the sustainable harvesting of local saprotrophic mushrooms, to improve the nutrition of the local populations and to prevent the plundering of mushrooms in the wild.  This is a fundamental research project (under the direction of the Botanic Garden) that has applied economic benefits for the local population.  The project also has a direct positive impact on the protection of nature.

The fundamental research by the APM will consist of listing the species of mushrooms that are to be found in the primary mountain forests and the identification of edible species that can be cultivated or sustainably harvested from the wild.  Samples will be collected, labelled and described before being dried and sent for storage in the herbarium of the APM where microscopic examination will confirm their identity.  There will probably be species found that are new to science.  These will be described in scientific journals.

The applied part of the project consists of the isolation of selected varieties of mushrooms, growth tests on various growth media (preferably agricultural waste).

The educative component is also very important in the project, raising awareness of the rangers as well as facilitating their training.  The production of educative material is also foreseen for the local population.

This project is funded by :

http://www.fonerwa.org/