News in brief:
– China’s Juncao technology is revolutionising mushroom farming in Rwanda, helping farmers fight malnutrition and earn income.
– Over 4,000 farmers have benefited from the innovation, creating more than 30,000 jobs across the agricultural value chain.
China’s Juncao cultivation technology is transforming Rwanda’s mushroom farming sector, empowering thousands of smallholder farmers and helping families fight malnutrition. The innovation, showcased at an ongoing agriculture exhibition in Kigali, is gaining traction as a tool for both economic growth and food security.
Meaning “fungus” (Jun) and “grass” (Cao), it involves using a specialised grass as a substrate (a growth medium other than soil) for growing edible and medicinal mushrooms.
Rwandan farmer Emelyine Mutoni from Kayonza District began mushroom farming in 2020 after being trained in Juncao technology by early adopter Leonidas Mushimiyimana, owner of DEYI Ltd. in Kigali. Within three years, her production of mushroom tubes has expanded tenfold, from 500 to 5,000 units per month, creating a sustainable income stream for her family and others in her community.
“I observed high levels of malnutrition among children in my area and felt I should help address the problem,” Mutoni said in a report. “Mushroom farming is the best thing to do. I plan to grow my business and start exporting mushrooms and byproducts.”
Juncao, a hybrid grass developed in China in the 1980s by Professor Lin Zhanxi of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, is a versatile resource used to grow edible mushrooms. The technology has since spread to over 100 countries, including Rwanda, where it is driving rural development.
Another Rwandan exhibitor, Christine Uwimanihaye of Omer Shop Ltd., also credits Juncao training for her success. Her business not only produces mushrooms but also processes them into flour and biscuits. “We focus on mushrooms because of their high nutritional value,” she said.
According to the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, more than 4,000 Rwandan farmers have adopted Juncao technology, creating over 30,000 jobs in the agricultural value chain. Since 2006, China and Rwanda have partnered through the China-Rwanda Agriculture Technology Demonstration Centre to expand this impact, promoting Juncao and other sustainable farming innovations across the country.
