We plan to train 100 women in rural Ugandan communities in mushroom cultivation. This income producing project benefits landless women, particularly single mothers. Our four-day training teaches how to treat and sterilize substrate and use it to plant mushroom spawns. It provides each woman with all material for her first planting of 25 mushroom gardens producing 35/40 Kgs of mushrooms. This training will provide a way for women to provide for their children.
Women constitute the highest labour force in Ugandan agriculture, yet are faced with gendered, social and geographical determinants for their employment. It is estimated that only 7% of them own and control the use of land. Men enjoy the ownership rights and ultimately control the proceeds from the land. Landless women can be economically empowered through engaging in mushroom production that requires a very small piece of land and local materials available at basically no cost .
Mushroom growing is unique as it can be done all year round with low capital investment, minimal space, and is a home based activity. It is a viable venture for women facing a problem of inequality in land acquisition and ownership. Cultivation can be done inside the house or in a small shed built with banana leaves and poles. Agricultural residues freely available can be used as substrate. Most importantly, women's desire to provide for their families is the driving force of our project
Mushroom production increases income, provides food security, and uplifts women's status within the family and in their own community. Economic empowerment helps women develop personal and social capabilities: build self-confidence/a sense of achievement, improve leadership qualities, & increase problem solving and decision making capacity. Trained women share their knowledge thus increasing the return on our investment. Also important, mushrooms provide protein, valuable minerals and vitamins
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