Branching out: How One Acre Fund is helping mushroom farmers access new markets

Jeanine Nshimirimana, a 33-year-old mother of four, lives on Bwoga Hill in Burundi’s Gitega Commune. Jeanine grew up in a farming family and has been involved in agriculture since childhood. Now, as a smallholder farmer in her own right, Jeanine farms maize and beans and is a member of the Sangwe Bwoga Cooperative, which provides support for her farming activities. In recent years, Jeanine and other cooperative members decided to diversify from reliance on crops like maize and beans and expand into mushroom farming.

Cooperatives are unique in that they allow individuals to collaborate and pool their resources to achieve a common goal. In 2019, the Burundian government initiated a policy on hillside cooperatives called “Sangwe” to increase smallholder farmers’ production and participation in economic and social development. Since 2021, One Acre Fund Burundi has been supporting cooperatives and, in 2023, introduced mushroom farming as a new cooperative option. Under the project, participating cooperatives can access credit for farm supplies and other materials, capacity-building training on effective farming practices, and market access opportunities for mushroom farming.

Jeanine is among over 90 members in this cooperative participating in One Acre Fund’s mushroom program this season.
 

Capacity building for improved harvests 

For Jeanine, the training provided by One Acre Fund has been instrumental in improving her farming methods and boosting her harvests. As part of the training program, farmers are offered technical guidance on how to set up their mushroom beds, farm maintenance, harvesting, and post-harvest handling.

“Last season, One Acre Fund’s field officer walked us through all the farming stages, and I learned a lot about mushroom farming. We used to harvest only 20 kg; now I can harvest between 300 - 500 kg,” Jeanine explains.

Learning together strengthens cooperative dynamics, fosters a spirit of collaboration and knowledge sharing among members, and can lead to broader knowledge dissemination to the community. Well-informed cooperative members are better equipped to navigate challenges and capitalize on emerging farming opportunities.

Improving livelihoods with market access

Mushroom farming in Burundi holds significant promise for economic empowerment, particularly among smallholder farmers. However, one of the critical factors determining success for farmers like Jeanine is access to viable market opportunities.

In this new trial, One Acre Fund is helping cooperative members maximize their farm income. At the end of the growing season, we purchase the mushrooms from farmers and sell them in aggregate to a large processing company. In this way, Jeannie and her fellow farmers can reach markets they would not otherwise be able to access.

“Access to the market has helped me a lot. Mushrooms are more profitable than beans!" Jeanine says. "A kilo of beans is less than 3,000 francs ($1), while mushrooms fetch 5,000 francs ($2)."

The extra income generated from these market access opportunities can help farmers improve their livelihoods by providing them with the financial stability to address immediate household needs and invest in their futures.

“The mushroom-growing project has helped us develop,” Jeanine says. “Last season, I used the profit to buy livestock. I am now saving to start my own mushroom farm. I have plans to buy a family plot to farm on and hopefully build a nice house.”