This is according to Clara Kamlomo of Amazing B project who was speaking in Salima on the sidelines of mushroom production training for youths by Multi Consult Africa.

She said there is a lot of demand for mushroom in Malawi but production is very low leading to bulky importations.

“The potential of mushroom business is very high, you may agree with me that we only have mushrooms during rainy season so if you are to produce mushroom in off-season you will make a lot of money. “Said Kamlomo.

Kamlomo has however bemoaned lack of information regarding mushroom production which she said is a serious challenge leading to low production.

Meanwhile over fifty young people have been trained in mushroom production in the area of traditional Authority Kambwiri in Salima as a way of keeping them away from charcoal production rampant in the area.

Multi Consult Africa through the Conserve with Benefits Project has initiated mushroom production training for over fifty young people under Chagunda youth club in Salima.

Project team leader Collins Mitochi feels the initiative will help contain deforestation as communities will be kept busy.

“We have given these youths bee hives for bee farming but now it will take time for them to start benefit from that so we thought of bringing in the Mushroom production initiative to as a medium-term source of income.” He said.

Chairperson for Chagunda youth organization has since appealed for more of such interventions if the forests are to be conserved in the country.

“This is a privilege for us as young people here at Chagunda, we now have skills on how to produce mushrooms this will help us greatly, we have been promised of a ready market you know mushrooms are scarce with this, we will refrain from deforestation acts,” Gwedeza said.

Recently, the youths in Salima also went through bee farming training from Multi consul Africa with funding from TAUW Foundation from Netherlands.