Sami Ayodele, Professor of Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) said Nigeria could earn as much as N1tn annually from Mushroom sector.

The mushroom plant scientist, urged the Federal Government to create an opportunity for farmers to embrace mushroom cultivation to serve as alternative means of farming and income generation for the country.

Prof. Ayodele said this in Abuja on Thursday while delivering the NOUN ’s 22nd inaugural lecture with the topic: “Mushrooms: Friends or Foes.”

He said, “It is imperative for the government to commence elaborate sensitisation of citizens about mushroom cultivation for wealth creation and poverty alleviation since it has a lot to contribute to the economy of the nation.

“Mushroom cultivation could have great economic and social impacts by generating income and employment for both women and youths, particularly in rural areas of developing countries.

“For instance, in China, it was estimated that the export value of mushrooms was about $1.6 billion and the total employment in the mushroom industry was over 30 million people.

“Out of this population, only 10 per cent are actual mushroom farmers, others fall within sectors such as food, beverage manufacturing, trading and management, transport, marketing, retailing, export and so on.

“The global demand for mushrooms has continued to increase significantly according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) report, while the market for mushrooms is huge and growing exponentially.

“The world mushroom market as at the end of 2020 stood at about $45.3 billion with China producing the highest.

“In Africa, only South Africa, Madagascar, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Algeria and Morocco grow mushrooms on a large scale, while Nigeria, the giant of Africa, does not feature in African mushroom production scale, not to talk about world production scale.”

Ayodele who is also the Director in charge of the NOUN Abuja Model Study Centre added that, “There should be regular seminars, symposia, conferences and workshops by the mushroom scientists to sensitise the Nigerian public about the new trend in mushroom cultivation and its potential for food security.

“Soft loans should be granted to interested individuals particularly unemployed youths and graduates with training in mushroom science to establish small-scale mushroom farms to reduce unemployment.

“The pharmaceutical industries in Nigeria should exploit the medicinal potential of the bio-diversities of medicinal mushrooms in Nigeria for medicinal formulation.”