Wild mushroom- an underutilized healthy food resource and income generator: experience from Tanzania rural areas

Abstract

BackgroundThis study documents the use of a wild edible mushroom (WEM) in Tanzania rural areas and assesses its significance as a source of healthy food and income for the disadvantaged rural dwellers.MethodologyThe data was gathered through local market surveys in order to conventionally identify different common WEM taxa using a semi-structured interview and it involved 160 people comprised of WEM hunters, traders and consumers. The collected data covered the information on where, how, when and who was the principal transmitter of the mycological knowledge learned and the general information on their market and values.ResultsResults show that mushroom gathering is gender oriented, dominated by women (76.25%) whereas men account for 23.75%. Women possess vast knowledge of mushroom folk taxonomy, biology and ecology and are therefore the principal knowledge transmitters. It was also found that learning about WEM began at an early age and is family tradition based. The knowledge is acquired and imparted by practices and is mostly transmitted vertically through family dissemination. The results also revealed that 75 WEM species belong to 14 families sold in fresh or dry form. The common sold species belonged to the family Cantharellaceae (19) followed by Rusullaceae (16) and Lyophyllaceae (13), respectively. Collectors residing near miombo woodland may harvest 20–30 buckets (capacity 20 liters) and the business may earn a person about $400–900 annually.ConclusionThis finding envisages the purposeful strengthening of WEM exploitation, which would contribute significantly in boosting the rural income/economy and reduce conflicts between community and forest conservers. The activity would also provide alternative employment, improve food security to rural disadvantaged groups especially women and old people hence improve their livelihood.

Wild edible mushrooms of Nagaland, India: a potential food resource

“…The study promotes awareness to harvest and exploit this underutilized local resource, which will provide nutritious food and employment opportunities especially to the disadvantaged groups (i.e. unemployed and old people) (Kumar et al, 2013;Sachan et al 2013;Tanti et al, 2011;Tibuhwa, 2013).…”

“…Wild edible mushrooms are not well documented in many countries, poorly studied and underutilized though they are rich source of non wood forest product. There is no systematic survey and study on mushroom harvest, its market and income generation potential (Tibuhwa, 2013). The FAO of the UN has emphasized the adoption of mushrooms as an ideal food for developing countries and its contribution to global food security.…”

A Comparative Study of Antioxidant Activities between Fresh and Dry Mushrooms in the Genera <i>Cantharellus</i> and <i>Afrocantharellus</i> from Tanzania

“…Tanzania is endowed with high diversified types of natural vegetations on different topology ranging from hilly mountains to low land grass, flat land and valleys which provide a highest diversity of indigenous wild mushrooms [22][23][24][25][26][27]. In the country, wild mushroom eating habit is more in rural areas and relies exclusively on collection from the wild, eating them fresh or sun-drying them for long preservation.…”

Antioxidant potentialities and Antiradical Activities of <i>Oxalis corniculata</i> Linn from Tanzania.

“…It is well known that different ethnic groups do not utilize some useful products of indigenous organism simply because they do not know the organism or they lack knowledge on the usage of the organism. This tendency is very prominent in mushroom edibility whereby migration of one ethnic group into a new area expose them to unfamiliar mushroom species, thus do not eat them not because they are inedible but their edibility is not known to them (Tibuhwa 2013). A recent study by Tibuhwa (2016) noted the local use of this plant in different ethnic groups as food; food supplement and medicinal applications (see Table 1).…”