The Mushroom Project’s vision to provide swift food and income post-locust outbreak remains a crucial objective. The Mushroom Production from House to House project aims to offer a sustainable income and food security solution to approximately 2000 households in Sululta, Ethiopia, impacted by the loss of 80% of their crops due to the locust outbreak.

Over a span of 2 years, we aim to equip interested households already engaged in food cultivation with the resources and training necessary to integrate mushroom production into their farming practices. The goal is to distribute training, materials, and oversight to facilitate the production of approximately 400,000 bags of mushrooms within a year, providing each household with an estimated 200 bags for cultivation.

The impact of this project is multifaceted:

Food Security: The initiative aims to secure food sources for approximately 10,000 individuals, providing nutritional diversity crucial for mothers, children, and families.

Economic Empowerment: With a projected monthly income of approximately $486,423.69 distributed among 2000 households, this project aims to revolutionize livelihoods. Each household could potentially earn an additional $250/month or $3,000/year—a significant leap compared to the average income of $1,000/year from traditional farming practices.

Nutritional Benefits: One impactful nutritional fact about mushrooms is their rich content of essential nutrients and unique compounds. Mushrooms are a natural source of various vitamins, including B-vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. They are also a rare non-animal source of vitamin D. Additionally, mushrooms are low in calories and high in dietary fiber, making them a nutritious choice for maintaining a healthy diet. Their rich antioxidant content, notably selenium and ergothioneine, contributes to supporting the immune system and overall well-being, which is important for those who don’t have access to healthcare as easily as we do.

$25/Family

2000 families goal

 • Food Security for 2000 households and approximately 12,000 in the area

 • Economic Empowerment: projected monthly income of approximately $486,423.69 distributed among 2000 households. Each household could potentially earn an additional $250/month or $3,000/year—a significant leap compared to the average income of $1,000/year from traditional farming practices.

 • Nutritional Improvements for 12,000 people approximately

The Seedling Production project, an extension of The Mushroom Project, aims to further diversify opportunities for local farmers, enhance nutritional diversity, and bolster income streams. Our initiative centers on cultivating 100,000 seedlings, comprising various fruit and flowering trees, not only to fortify agricultural diversity but also to address environmental concerns by significantly enhancing air quality through oxygen generation.

Diversified Agricultural Opportunities: We seek to empower local farmers by providing them with access to a diverse array of fruit and flowering trees, fostering diversified agricultural practices and income opportunities.

Nutritional Diversity: The introduction of these seedlings will significantly enhance nutritional diversity within our community, ensuring access to a variety of fruits with substantial economic value.

Environmental Impact: Beyond agricultural diversification, these 100,000 seedlings will contribute significantly to oxygen production, supporting approximately 400,000 individuals with improved air quality, particularly crucial in an area with substandard air conditions.

Projected Impact:

Each tree within our seedling site has multifaceted benefits. On average, a fruit tree produces around 500 fruits, each valued at approximately $0.25, totaling $125 per tree. Considering the entire site of 100,000 seedlings, the income potential is estimated at an impressive $12,500,000. Moreover, these trees collectively offer an environmental benefit, generating enough oxygen to sustain the breathing needs of 400,000 individuals daily, addressing the pressing issue of low-quality air in our area.

$5/tree

100,000 seedling goal

 • Providing oxygen to 400,000 people daily in a low air quality location

 • Provides 10 times the amount of income over the period of 3-4 years as fruit is harvested and sold.

 • Providing diverse nutrition to approximately 12,000 people in the area who have food security issues

 • Each tree can produce up to 500 fruits for the community and to generate income

The Mushroom Project, rooted in fighting poverty and championing sustainability, began with a focus on mushrooms—a nutritional, zero-waste crop with rapid harvesting capabilities. As part of our commitment to diversity and nutritional access for approximately 12,000 people in our local area, we aim to expand beyond mushrooms. We believe that introducing fruit trees and livestock, while utilizing mushroom substrate as animal feed, will empower farmers to diversify their crops and secure sustainable incomes.

With the support of the United Nations Development Fund and generous donors, we successfully established the Mushroom Production House in December 2023. Additionally, we’ve launched a seedling site housing 100,000 seedlings of various fruit and flowering trees. These initiatives not only enrich nutritional options but also promote ecological balance by reintroducing pollinators and fostering soil conservation through robust root systems.

Current Need and Funding Request:

Our progress is indebted to a loan program provided by the United Nations Development Fund, aligning with our commitment to community recompense. However, sustaining these initiatives poses a challenge. Upon consultation, the UN advised scaling up, diversifying income sources, and exploring additional opportunities within our farming practices. So that is what we are doing by launching another 100,000 seedlings and a cows milk program we believe this will provide us the sustainable funding we need to successfully continue all of our programs and make the biggest impact.

Expected Impact:

With each cow producing 20 litres of milk per day, totaling 100 litres daily, we anticipate generating $169.63 per day from milk sales. This translates to $5,088.84 per month, and an estimated $61,066.11 annually, further enhancing the sustainability of our holistic program.

Holistic Impact Beyond Livestock:

We believe this initiative will not only bolster the sustainability of our program but also offer additional nutritional benefits and access to essential resources for the 12,000 people in our community. Furthermore, it plays a significant role in fortifying food security within the region.

5 Cow Goal        

 • $61,066.11 in profits

 • 36,500 litres of milk available to the community/year

 • Estimated up to 12,000 people having access to milk

 • Provides diverse income to area

This project in connection with the UNDP has allowed us to build a Mushroom Production Facility with the intention to employ 100 workers and produce large quantities of mushroom for the area. The UNDP has supplied many in-kind donations like the building materials and a small admin office in town for our books. We must provide payments to the workers before the first harvest is sold, and the first harvest is going to be used as an awareness campaign so that mushrooms can easily be sold in the area as currently mushrooms are not that common!

With the help of donors and the UNDP we aim to do the following with this project in 2024

 • Grow and sell 100,000 fruit and flowering trees

 • Employ 100 workers in the Mushroom Production House

 • Diversify Farming Opportuntities for local farmers

Approximately $8,300 for 2024

 • Food Security for approximately 12,000 people in the area

 • Steady paying quality jobs for local people

 • Nutritional Improvements for 12,000 approximately people.