We will establish a mushroom production facility for 15 elderly as their source of income and nutrition as well as a pilot for other groups to emulate. Mushroom is an alternative food with very large potential for increasing income and nutrition and it can be grown easily in small space using surplus agricultural waste such as rice straw and sawdust. It is high in protein, amino acids, no cholesterol, no sugar and high ration of unsaturated fats. It has tremendous ability to improve nutrition.
The establishment of a mushroom production and processing facility at the Mahangub Integrated Farm in Naawan Municipality and to be managed by a group of elderly will enable them to source their nutritional needs from the harvest as well as generate income from surplus production. This is specially significant during this Coronavirus pandemic with a lot of elderly population without nothing to do with the facility providing them meaningful activities.
The mushroom production facility will grow oyster mushroom as well as straw mushrooms in agricultural waste coming from the farm. The resulting mushrooms will then be used by the growers as their alternative source of nutrition and the surplus sold as fresh in the local market. A small portion will be value-added with the production of powdered mushrooms and dried mushrooms for condiment.
The well-being of local communities and their senior citizens is enhanced by timely delivery of supplies as community lock-downs and the difficulty in procuring food is happening. Our local workers embedded in the barrios will select and implement the delivery of food and in so doing we do not waste much-needed resources.
