Dietary fiber prevents constipation, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, colon cancer and arteriosclerosis by lowering cholesterol level. The high amount of ergo-sterol in fresh shiitake makes dried shiitake an important vitamin D source because ergo-sterol converts to vitamin D2 in the presence of sunlight. Exposure of shiitake to direct sunlight for 3 hours/day increases the vitamin D2 content up to 5 times. Sunlight exposure also increases the free amino acid content which is about 2,180 mg/dl in the dry fruiting bodies, and it makes them sweeter and less bitter (Kiribuchi, 1991).
Eating mushroom can prevent various vitamin B and D deficiencies including beri-beri (thiamin); cheilosis, glossitis, corneal vascularization, Seborrheic dermatitis, nerve tissue damage (riboflavin); abnormal growth in infants and children (niacin); and rickets (vitamin D). Vitamin D boosts calcium absorption and thus plays an important role in bone formation. Mushrooms are not only sources of nutrients but have also been reported as therapeutic foods, useful in preventing diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and cancer. Some recently remote and recognized compounds, originating from mushrooms, show other quite significant medical properties, such as immuno-modulatory, cardiovascular, liver protective, anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-viral and anti-microbial activities. Some anti-fungal protein are also recognized which shows the inhibiting activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, possible being used for healing AIDS disorder. The methodical indications of mushrooms as multi-purpose medicines on different human diseases have been accrued. So mushrooms can be used to combat human diseases.
Mushroom production is the most appropriate job for the poor landless both men and women farmers in Nigeria. Mushrooms can be grown in the small space of a farmer’s own house for small scale production and generate income that aids in the family support. Mushroom cultivation is the most popular activity for development programs targeting income generation among women because it is suitable for the women’s life style.
The product is highly nutritive and a good food for their children and old parents, and because of its high economic value they can also earn some income from the production. In many areas in Nigeria, farmers are beginning to grow mushrooms on a small scale and are benefitting directly. They have managed to adopt the technology in a simpler way whereby they can afford to invest on a small scale. They are mainly utilizing the agricultural and wood waste mainly saw dust and wheat and rice straws. Thus, mushroom cultivation may reduce poverty and improve the life style of many poor farmers in Nigeria if well supported.
The advocacy is for government, NGOs, and all stake holders to join forces to reach out to both the rural and urban poor by assisting them financially to go into this very profitable agro venture as it will not only help in alleviating poverty, but also help in reducing unemployment. It can be introduced into the school feeding program to help the children get protein at its best. Those in the IDP camps can also learn to grow it since it does not require much space and also incorporate it into their meals to help fight against malnutrition. Mushroom business should be everybody’s business. It is a wakeup call for action. The time to grow these highly profitable funguses to improve livelihoods is now!
Sure, if more people understood where food comes from, they would consider agriculture and mushroom farming friendly to the environment. Rapidly developing communities may begin to tolerate our farms. Promoting mushroom farming as environmentally friendly form of agriculture should be a long term educational goal of the agricultural sector.
As growers, we tend to only see composting from a mushroom’s point of view. More importantly the environmentalist, municipal governments and communities should look to mushroom farms as a disposal agent. Researchers should be more interested in testing and using agricultural and industrial waste products for mushroom compost. Growers must use the mushroom’s ability to consume organic materials discarded by man, to help control pollution in modern society.
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