Radio Miraya
2655: Farming and researching mushrooms as a business: Proscovia James
As we continue this morning here, it is Women's Week for Alsia Admiraya. While we continue signing the spotlight on women who are making the difference in our society, and we are talking to women who seek to understand our society and come up with solutions that can improve the communities. While the South Sudan Women Researchers Network Program inspires inclusion through supporting women researchers. Now, we have a woman who seeks to understand agricultural business and how it can change the people's lives. Here we meet in the studio. We are glad to have Proskovia Mungasa-Gems. He is a researcher who is actually doing a lot, especially in the agricultural business. And she also is running a most room farming business. We will be telling us more about that here on the Miraya Break for Show. Proskovia, good morning. Good to have you on the Miraya Break for Show. Good morning. Thank you very much for hosting me. Welcome. Happy International Women's Month. Happy International Women's Week. And yes, let's briefly tell us about these most room farming business before we even talk about your research work. Well, mushroom business is a very new thing in South Sudan. I haven't seen it, but I saw it in other countries. And as you know, South Sudanese have traveled around and they have seen things. But I picked mushrooms because I love mushrooms. It's very delicious. It's nutritious. And in just our neighboring countries, Uganda, many women have been able to put food on the table for their children because you just farm it in a small area, able to farm it. And from zero to harvest, it takes only two months, maximum. So it makes it an ideal business for urban settlers, especially returnees, IDPs that are within urban setting. Great. Yes, I love mushrooms. I love eating it. I believe it's healthy and, you know, it's good. And it's as well nutritious as you did mentioned. But it's the market there in South Sudan. Do people really, you know, like like it that much? I've just started harvesting it like a week ago and I've cut it some for you. Yeah, I can say that. Thank you. So the few people that I've reached out to, they're really excited. They call me, they even come at night, you know, drive to my farm. And we, they buy, you know, a few people in my office, they have bought at the Rift Valley. They have bought at UN Women, they are buying. Yes. And then we try to test the open market as well. And people are actually shocked because they know that mushrooms are gathered from the farms and where is this coming from? But they are buying it and they would like to know more. Alright. Thank you. Now let's go to, of course, you as well, researching agri-business. Tell us why you made this link between agriculture and business. Yes. When you, when you're doing, when you're farming with, with a mindset of, of, of business, it helps you to scale up because we, women are known in South Sudan for only doing backyard farming with no, you know, idea of selling. But agri-business helps you to scale up, helps you to even look for partners to partner, to partner with you, so that you can be able to reach out to many people, reach out to markets and even get supporters to help you, you know, really scale up. It's just scaling up. Great. And, and of course now we are celebrating the Women's Month. We like to talk about women empowerment and we like to talk about women achievers and achievement and people doing change as you are here with us in the studio. How important is this kind of agri-business when it comes to empowering women, especially in a situation where we are here in South Sudan? When you look at the cultural norms in South Sudan, where women do not have the right to own land, access to land is a problem, especially in an urban setting, mushroom business becomes actually the most ideal. As I said earlier, it needs a small space and then it's not planted on ground. You know, we hang it, I wish I could show it. Yeah, you can describe it as well. Yes, you hang it on rocks. Okay. Yes, you hang it on rocks. But the most important thing is... So if I don't even have enough land, I can use my friends to be hanging it up. No, it has to be under shelter. Under shelter, okay. It has to be under shelter because it is a very sensitive crop. Yeah. You keep it away from flies, you keep it away from insects because it is very clean. Okay. You don't want it to touch the ground. So the hygiene of mushrooms is really, really number one. Yes, because cleaning dust from it becomes difficult. Okay. Yeah. Now, talking about the sun, like we are at the moment burning, literally, is 42 degrees today as we speak. How do they survive in this heat? Yes. It has a technique. Like on my farm, I used grass-staged growth. I touched it with grass. And then the wall I put from outside, I put this with bamboo, shargania, from outside. And from inside, I packed it with soy sauce. Okay. And then we water the whole premises. So if you go right now to my farm, the temperature is so cool. Wow. It's really cool. It's very conducive. And you have to make sure that the room is also a bit dark, because they thrive where it is cool and dark. Where is your farm already interested in visiting? Yes. It's not far. It's in monarchy. I am not very good at the blocks. Okay. But next, up and I university. Okay. Next to up and I university. Now, from what you have got out of course, and you just described for us how it is, what are some of the real greatest challenges that are affecting farming, and particularly, mushroom farming in South Florida? Yeah. The initial setup of the mushroom farming is quite expensive. You need a number of things. You need the house. You need to make it to the way I described it. So, getting the materials is difficult. Also, making the garden, we use cotton husks. We use rice husks, which all we have to get it from across the border. And then we use lime, you know, before you can get the spawn. So, it's really, it's not easy. The starting is not easy. So, even the support from Rift Valley was not sufficient enough. I had to reach out to the Council of Churches, Fr. Jim Soyette. When I talk to him about it, he likes to support women. So, when I gave him the idea, he quickly talked to one of their partners, Mission 21, who also supports women in this country, especially economic empowerment. They are able to step in and help me to financially set up the farm. But they are also looking at it in a way that we can use it to continuity, after the research, what next. So, sustainability and how can we reach more women to understand that this is one of the areas where they can easily and some money for themselves. And once a woman has mushroom in the bucket, they will have money and they will not run out of food. Because you can dry it, you can sell it fresh and you can eat it. Great. Now, talking about that and, of course, about bringing the perspective of women into this study, considering that in South Sudan and across the continent, of course, women are heavily involved in agricultural production. How do you diversify this particular enterprise? Yes. When I talk about enterprise diversification, it helps you to plan well. Because we are only looking at rains. Now, mushroom gives us the choice of whether there is rain or there is no rain, because you just water it. As long as there is access to water, you are able to farm. So, it helps you to put all your baskets in one, all your eggs in one basket. So, you can put mushrooms around, you can put other crops. So, once these crops have run out of market, at least you have something, a backup plan. You know, that is how I look at diversification. And it is easy, it is good for women. Because if it is off, other crops are off season, you are still waiting for the rains. With these climate conditions, mushrooms become the crop of choice. Because as long as there is water, as you keep watering, because one garden, you can harvest it for three months. And after harvesting for three months, you use the remaining garden that cannot give you the crops. You use it in your farmers' manure. So, in some countries, once you have harvested for three months, you pack it in sacks and farmers come and buy, and take it to their farms as natural manure. Because it is cotton and rice husks. Yes, clearly, as you said earlier, in South Sudan, not many of these businesses. This might have been probably the first mushroom farm in the country. What made you to start this? What inspired you to start this kind of business or farm? I looked at how I am not even able to access land from my family. To do what it is I want to do on the farm. So, I told myself, if at my level, even the norms, the cultural norms are giving me this kind of constraints. What can be done that can help women to be able to do something small and put food on the table? So, I have seen in Uganda, I have seen in Kenya, I have seen in Ghana, I was in Ghana as well, women are doing mushrooms. So, I said, what can we do in South Sudan? Can this grow in South Sudan? Is it possible to grow in South Sudan? So, when Rift Valley advertised, it is a research farm. With research, those unanswered questions get to be answered. So, that's when I said, no, let's try this. I am really very happy that they are able to look at it from the positive angle. And even when I approached the Council of Churches and Mission 21, they embraced the idea. They don't know about it, but they embraced the idea. Let's give it a shot, but I had done the training before. In Uganda, I did the training, I tested it at my backyard, and every week I was harvesting 15 kilos. Because it's small, like this room, 15 kilos every week. And this room is really small. I was selling it in the Cassero market, as a farmer, and a kilo was going for 5,000. So, I said, if I can succeed in this, then I can be able to train many more women. Because you can choose to sell only guardians. You can prepare the guardians and sell to farmers who can only water and then harvest and sell. Or you can choose to sell only the mushrooms. Or you can choose to sell them dry, or you can sell them as powder. So, the list is endless. And it's a quick business. Once the woman can do it in the compound, while attending to her children, she doesn't have to go anywhere. And when people get to know about it, they'll come. Absolutely. They'll come a way from now. Great. Now, in agriculture and in business, knowledge and access to valuable information are quite important. Now, does this form part of the literature of your research? Definitely. Definitely. Aristotle is helping me to document this. And it is going to be submitted, of course, to Minister of Agriculture. And other development partners to look into it. You know, with the current climate change in the world, it's important to research and look into options of how we can support our societies, especially women in this country. Great. As talking about that, who is the target for this research and who do you hope to reach out to with the results and recommendations? I'm targeting the Minister of Agriculture for knowledge and then also Minister of Gender because of targeting women. You know, because this can be one of those quick impact, what do you call it, projects for women. It can help them really, really very quick. And then also it will support in fighting food insecurity in the country. Yes, and just before I let you go, of course, it's the women's month. Briefly, of course, it's women, important women, it's all about employment. What message do you have for the women listening to us right now when it comes to empowering each other through agriculture or agribusiness? The message I have for women is that let them come and visit my farm. And to our partners out there who are supporting women, let them come and visit the farm and let them have it inclusive. Let them support the women to do this kind of business. It will help these women. And together, we will be able to see the women smiling and children happy. Great. And of course, how do they visit your farm? If you like, you didn't mention earlier about directions. This time, if you want to give contacts, please be free. Yes, my farm is next to Apponail University in Muleuke. My number is 092-5-77-9682. 092-5-77-9682. My name is Proskovia. Proskovia, thank you so much for coming to Mariah students and we wish you all the best. Thank you very much. And happy Women's Day, everybody. Happy Women's Day to you. And yes, you're listening to the Mariah's Day.