BACKGROUND
The mushroom industry in the district before the EU funded PROMUSH project faced varied challenges which included shortages of spawn; the distance from the spawn laboratory and the absence of critical equipment such as humidifiers, solar dyers, etc. hindered large-scale production. It was in this light that AdMA, CLGA and LoGNet came together, funded by the European Union to implement the PROMUSH project: a three (3) year Local Economic Development Project leveraged on the mushroom value chain to create employment opportunities for women, youth and Person’s Living with Disabilities (PWDs), developing environmentally sustainable production chain in the mushroom industry and reducing poverty within the Adentan Municipality.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
Specifically, the project sought to:
- Create employment for women, Persons with disabilities, and youth.
- Improve and sustain the incomes of mushroom farmers.
- Develop an environmentally sustainable production chain in the mushroom industry in the Adentan Municipality.
- Promote mushroom production for job creation, reduction of poverty and increase revenue within the Municipal Assembly.
- Generate higher incomes.
EXPECTED RESULTS
- High employment rate – the project has created employment for women, youth and PWDs along the mushroom value chain specifically, 441 females and 435 males including 270 youths and 10 PWDs have be as at March 2019. Over 6,508 persons comprising of 3,305 males and 3,203 females have been exposed and trained in the mushroom value chain. Before the project, there was no PWD in mushroom production.
- Improved incomes of mushroom farmers- farmers under the project are making an average of GHS 2,307.8 monthly and GHS 27,693.3 annually compared to the 1,607 monthly and 4,302 annually before the start of the project. The annual average far exceeds the project’s target of GHS 15,000 annual farmer income.
- Environmentally Sustainable- 50% of sawdust generated within the municipality has been used for mushroom production under the project. This has reduced indiscriminate burning and throwing of sawdust in waterways. People have taken up sawdust as a business in the municipality.
PROJECT TARGET
- 1000 females and 500 males are expected to be employed. This will include youth and PWDs. growers, baggers, processors and marketers by 2020.
- Expected annual farmer income of GHC 15,000 by 2020.
- Ensure 50% of waste from mushroom production is used as manure for agriculture by 2020.
- 50% of sawdust generated by 22 sawmills in the municipality used for mushroom production by 2020.
- 1% contribution to AdMA’s internally generated revenue from the mushroom industry by 2020.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
- Construction of a Demonstration and training Centre
- Spawn Laboratory and other ancillary facilities.
- Construction of a processing centre and installation of solar dryers.
- Construction of a crop house and machine shed
- Construction of Fish Processing Facilities
- Training of beneficiaries in the mushroom value chain
- Attend local and international conferences and tradeshows
- Financial support for beneficiaries
- Organize tradeshows for beneficiaries