Mushroom Cultivation for People with Disabilities - A Training Manual












Table of Contents


RAP Publication 2001/12

Written by

Johanne Hanko

Technical specialist in disability matters
International consultant for TCP/THA/8821(A)
Mushroom Production training for Disabled People

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok, Thailand
2001

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

For copies of the manual, write to:

Wim Polman
Rural Development Officer
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Tel: (662) 697-4000 Fax: (662) 697-4445
E-mail: [email protected]
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director Information Division, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.

© FAO 2001


Table of Contents


Forward

Part I. TRAINING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Introduction
Rendering self-reliance
Mushroom cultivation as a tool for self-reliance
Three-in-one training

Rehabilitation + Mushroom cultivation + Enterprise development

Obligations and responsibilities

Training and training related duties
Administrative duties
Maintenance of mushroom farm
Financial assistance for trainees
Daily book keeping and financial management

Alternate ways of doing things

Answering specific needs
Creative thinking

Collaboration and partnerships
Opening and closing ceremonies

Implications
Certificates of achievement

Operational recommendations
Monitoring and Evaluation

Check acquired knowledge
Check mushroom house at trainees’ home
Make sure trainees received their raw material
Frequency of visits
Check sustainability
Permanent support
Encouraging support from family and community
Keep notes of all visits and meetings with ex-trainees

BUILDINGS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Adaptation for people with disabilities

Buildings
Pasteurization systems

Medium for mushroom bag cultivation
Other equipment

SELECTING TRAINEES

The process
Size of group
Gender equality
Problems to be avoided
Formal Procedures

Application information
Final selection procedure

MOTIVATIONAL SESSIONS

Objectives
Proposed outline

First series of motivational sessions
Second series of motivational sessions

THE TRAINING

Learning about mushrooms
From Theory to practice

Continuous need for training

Training approach
Start-up procedure
Proposed schedule

Part II. MUSHROOM CULTIVATION BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - A guide

Introduction
Introduction to mushroom cultivation
Step 1. ABOUT MUSHROOMS

Nature of mushrooms
Uses for mushrooms
Nutritional values in mushrooms
Health properties of mushrooms
Cultivated mushrooms Vs wild mushrooms
Selecting the right type of mushrooms for cultivation

Step 2. PRODUCING PDA MEDIUM

Tissue Culture
Selecting tissue culture
Culture from PDA to PDA

Step 4. MULTIPLYING SPAWN ON SORGHUM SEEDS
Step 5. PRODUCING SUBSTRATE BAGS
Step 6. PASTEURIZING BAGS

Country type pasteurization
Commercial pasteurization
Solar heating pasteurization (optional in replacement of steam pasteurization)

Step 7. INOCULATING BAGS WITH SORGHUM SEEDS
Step 8. INCUBATING BAGS
Step 9. OPENING BAGS
Step 10. MAINTAINING AND MONITORING
Step 11. HARVESTING
Step 12. CULTIVATING STRAW MUSHROOMS
Step 13. PACKAGING
Step 14. MARKETING
Step 15. PROCESSING

Conserving mushrooms
Fermented mushrooms “Pla la hed”
Fermented mushrooms in banana leaf
Heavenly mushrooms “Hed Sawan”
Pickled mushrooms with soya sauce
Shrimp paste mushrooms (vegetarian)

Step 16. WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RECYCLING
Step 17. TROUBLE SHOOTING
Step 18. PREPARING THE MUSHROOM HOUSE

Materials that can be used
Mushroom shelves and suspended systems
Country style pasteurization system

Step 19. STARTING THE BUSINESS

Procedure to start a mushroom production farm

Step 20. KEEPING RECORDS

Check profit
Income to be expected

ANNEXES

Annex 1. Layout of mushroom cultivation center
Annex 2. Buildings and equipment for training center
Annex 3. Preliminary questionnaire including selection criteria
Annex 4. Cost estimate for mushroom bag production
Annex 5. Justification for cost calculations