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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Following several failed attempts to fight poverty, Mpigi district authorities have resorted to mushroom growing to reduce the high poverty and unemployment rates among youths.
The district authorities are encouraging youth groups and other community members to start mushroom growing projects with promises of helping access central government support through the Youth Livelihood and Uganda Entrepreneurs programs.
The Mpigi district commercial officer, Ronald Kazibwe and district production coordinator, Patrick Sserwadda told members of Mpigi town youth development project on Tuesday evening, that they zeroed in on mushroom growing after realizing that in addition to the increasing population, youths haven’t satisfactorily responded to government programs aimed at fighting poverty.
The district intends to facilitate mushroom growers produce quality and reasonable quantities of mushrooms to help them earn a decent living.
Mpigi town youth development project has also already linked to the Department of Plant sciences, microbiology and biotechnology of Makerere University for guidance and provision of techniques that can help them achieve their goal.
With funding from the Private Sector Foundation and World Bank, a number of instructors have imparted skills of mushroom growing and preservation among the youths to help them reach greater heights.
David Muhereza Begumya, a senior technician at the College of Natural Sciences at Makerere University was among the experts tasked to sharpen the youths in Mpigi district on how to grow and process quality products from mushrooms.
Ssozi Bagenda, the chairperson Mpigi town youth development project, says in addition to the availability of ready market within the community, mushroom growing would make it easy for them to earn a living since it is done in an enclosure that doesn’t necessarily require huge land.
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