The harvesting of wild mushrooms is becoming increasingly unpredictable due to deteriorating environmental conditions, making their production less certain. This uncertainty has intensified competition among women mushroom hunters in Pèrèrè (Benin), undermining social cohesion and even sparking inter-ethnic rivalries.
To address this, Climate Relief is implementing a training programme on home-based mushroom cultivation techniques, reducing their reliance on wild harvesting and mitigating rivalries. Participants are organized into cooperatives and provided with production equipment.
As a green activity, mushroom cultivation offers protein-rich, and nutrient-dense food source, providing a sustainable alternative to animal proteins, reducing land, water, and energy consumption per gram of protein. It constitutes a sustainable source of income for its producers as well as nutritious food for their families.
