IMPACT OF MUSHROOM UTILITY ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

IMPACT OF MUSHROOM UTILITY ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

In sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 70 percent of the population live in rural areas, crop and animal production, fisheries and forestry activities are direct sources of food and provide income with which to buy food. Increased and diversified production of food for family consumption or as a source of income is a basic prerequisite for improved household food security. Better home and community food processing, preservation and storage and access to marketing facilities can also contribute to household food security by alleviating seasonal shortages in food supply and stabilizing market prices. Agricultural practices and technology as well as the establishment of small-scale agro-processing industries can significantly increase employment and income-generating opportunities and thus positively affect household access to food. Food safety and quality, secured through effective food quality control at all stages of production, processing and handling, also influence nutritional well-being. With regard to infant nutrition, the extent of breastfeeding is important, and hygienic preparation and handling of food are crucial for disease prevention and proper child growth.
Edible fungi can become a viable alternative in the food culture, it is necessary to develop strategies and educational programs for food security, to conduct applied research to assess the incorporation of mushrooms into the food culture of the communities and to consider the acceptability of this food. This requires promoting the properties of mushrooms and considering their nutritional and/or medicinal contributions, self-consumption, commercialization to buy other food and the utilization of by-products or agricultural residues for cultivation, all while paying heed to the implications of food safety and regulations. The contributions of different professionals in social and technical areas in transferring knowledge to the community, is also of great relevance to the acceptability of these ideas within communities.It is well known that mushroom cultivation is a cost-effective way to provide proteins i.e. requiring minimal land, temperate climate, high humidity and waste organic substrates.
This calls for action to develop home based enrichment of traditional foods by exploiting the nutritious foods such as mushrooms that are rich in protein, micronutrients, fiber, and health-giving properties. Mushrooms are ranked to be richer than most food sources except meat in term of protein content. Despite having high nutritional attributes mushrooms are low cholesterol content. Considering their protein, micronutrients content, and health-giving properties, mushrooms can highly contribute to handle the protein malnutrition and micronutrients deficiency in developing and underdeveloped countries.

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