Africa: International Conference On Mushroom Uses Begins
Windhoek — At least 100 delegates from all over the world are meeting in Windhoek for the University of Namibia-hosted 3rd African Conference on Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms that started on Sunday. The conference, being held in Namibia for the first time, brings together scientists, farmers, donors and companies interested in the science of mushroom production from as far afield as Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, China, Serbia, Croatia, the United States of America and Japan.The University of Namibia (Unam) is organizing the conference through its Department of Biological Sciences and the Zero Emissions Research Initiative (Zeri) project.Unam's Dr Percy Chimwamurombe chairs the local organizing committee for the conference and is the executive secretary of the African Society for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms (Asemm). He said approximately 40 of the delegates to this conference are from outside Namibia."We have targeted to receive at least 100 people. The scientific programme will run for three days but within that period there is a field excursion that we've planned," he said, adding that some activities would be held at the Ministry of Mines and Energy Auditorium, while others would happen at the Safari Hotel.Namibia's Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry John Mutorwa is expected to deliver the keynote speech at the conference, whose theme is: 'Mushrooms, Food and Nutriceuticals for Africa'.Observers say the theme is relevant given that all over the world food shortages and malnutrition are major problems and mushrooms can provide a cheap way of ensuring that people are not malnourished.In Namibia, Unam through its Zeri unit has been working towards promoting production and consumption of mushrooms. In addition to training members of the community to produce mushrooms, Unam has begun work on domesticating wild and medicinal mushrooms.The Zeri project is now establishing a unique technology park to train farmers and entrepreneurs in the production of capsules of medicinally important mushrooms. The facility, known as the Ganodema Technology Park, is the first such facility in Namibia focusing on medicinal mushrooms in Africa. It uses a mushroom called Ganodema lucidum for proof of concept and subsequently training farmers.A new mushroom house has been built and plans are afoot to build the capsule-making laboratory soon. Expectations are that when fully operational, the Ganodema Technology Park will generate revenue through training and the selling of Ganodema powders to the local pharmaceutical industry.As things stand local pharmaceutical companies import Ganodema powders from eastern countries that include the People's Republic of China and Malaysia.Interest in Ganodema has grown over the past few years in southern Africa after it emerged that it has life-prolonging properties.In Namibia, Ganodema naturally occurs in the hardwood forests of the northern parts of the country.Chimwamurombe said many papers would be presented during the conference."Most of the papers will be in the context of the conference theme and will discuss protocols and methodologies of producing mushrooms through cheaper ways utilizing cheaper resources. Some papers will deal with evidence showing that mushrooms are of medicinal value."Among the highlights of the conference will be the launch of the World Association of Mushrooms (Wam) by a company from Croatia."Our main objective is to allow networking and the sharing of experiences especially for mushroom practitioners of this region and all the other parts of the world. That sharing of experiences will result in continued collaboration because we will enable people to meet, exchange ideas and establish their own links for further interactions."Organisers have lined up an impressive list of speakers during the conference. They include Unam scientist Dr Cousins Gwanama, who coordinates a Nepad-funded regional project, and Professor Kito Mshegeni, an expert in mushroom science from Tanzania.The president of Asemm, Professor Omon Isikhuemhen, a top mushroom scientist based in the USA, jetted into Windhoek on Tuesday and is working with the local organizing committee to ensure that the conference runs smoothly.In an interview, Isikhuemhen said of Asemm: "Its objective is to create a forum for African scientists, farmers, medical practitioners and traditional medical practitioners to come together and start talking to each other so that we can start to exploit the natural resources of mushrooms for food and medicine for humans and animals."He said the association had grown from when the first conference was held in 2006 and that many ordinary people were showing keen interest in its conferences. This, he said, was good because Asemm seeks to educate people about the mushrooms that they have always been eating and how to grow them.According to Isikhuemhen, in China and Japan where mushrooms are widely appreciated, it is rare to go into a restaurant and see a menu that does not include mushrooms, or to be given cancer treatment that does not include mushroom.Asked what it would take to pupolarise mushrooms in developing and transition countries, Isikhuemhen said a lot needed to be done but a lot had also been done."The problem we have had all the time is the manner of introducing mushrooms to the people, which was not the best. It was not done at grassroots level and there was no sustainability. There is need to go to the people, ask them which mushrooms they have been eating and show them how to grow it. That way you don't have to preach to convince them."It makes sense. After all, the mushroom that locals eat has acclimatized to the local conditions and the environment so African scientists need to look into the local environment and use the knowledge they acquired abroad to boost local production.Isikhuemhen said the major obstacle to widespread production of mushrooms in Africa was a lack of spawn (seed)."Producing it is a very technical process. That is why university professors who have the microbiology knowledge must be involved. Governments must come in to support universities and research institutes and allow then to work with business enterprises to boost production," he concluded. 温得和克 - 至少有100个来自世界各地的与会代表都在温得和克会见纳米比亚主办的第三届非洲会议上周日开始的食用和药用蘑菇大学。在纳米比亚举行首次会议，汇集了科学家，农民，捐助者和公司在食用菌生产的科学感兴趣，从遥远的尼日利亚，加纳，多哥，喀麦隆，乌干达，坦桑尼亚，肯尼亚，南非，中国，纳米比亚，津巴布韦，马拉维，塞尔维亚，克罗地亚，美国和日本的美国。纳米比亚大学（UNAM）组织的会议上通过其生物科学系和零排放研究倡议（零排放）项目。UNAM的的珀西Chimwamurombe博士主持会议当地组委会，是非洲社会的食用和药用蘑菇（Asemm）的执行秘书。他说，约40的本次会议的代表都是从外面纳米比亚。他说：“我们有针对性地收到至少100人。科学的程序将运行三天，但在该期限内，有一个实地考察，我们已经计划，将在矿业部举行一些活动和能源的礼堂，而另一些会发生在Safari酒店。纳米比亚的农业，水利和林业约翰Mutorwa部长预计交付的主旨演讲，会议，其主题是：“蘑菇，食品和非洲的功能因子。观察家说，所有世界各地的粮食短缺和营养不良是主要问题和蘑菇可提供廉价的方式，确保人是不是营养不良的主题是有关的。在纳米比亚，已通过其零排放单位UNAM努力促进香菇的生产和消费。除了培训成员的社会生产蘑菇，UNAM已开始对驯养野生药用菇类的工作。零排放项目正在建立一个独特的科技园区，培训农民和企业家在生产药用重要蘑菇胶囊。设施，被称为灵芝科技园，是首次在纳米比亚等设施，重点在非洲的药用蘑菇。它使用的概念，随后培训农民证明，灵芝蘑菇。一个新的蘑菇房子已建成和计划正在酝酿建立的胶囊决策实验室很快。的期望，充分运作时，灵芝科技园将通过培训和灵芝粉出售给当地的制药行业产生收入。如往年一样，当地的制药公司进口来自东欧国家，包括中国和马来西亚人民共和国的灵芝粉末。在灵芝的兴趣已经在南部非洲过去几年增长后出现的，它有延长生命的属性。在纳米比亚，灵芝自然发生在该国北部地区的阔叶林。chimwamurombe说，许多文件将在会议期间提出。“大多数的论文将在会议的主题方面，将讨论通过便宜的方式，利用便宜的资源，生产蘑菇的协议和方法。有些文件将处理证据表明蘑菇的药用价值。”在本次会议的亮点将是世界香菇协会由来自克罗地亚的公司（WAM）的发射。“我们的主要目标是让网络和共享的经验，特别是对本地区和世界其他地区的食用菌从业人员的经验交流，将导致继续合作，因为我们将使人们见面，交换意见，并建立自己联系的进一步交流。“主办单位已列队在会议期间的发言者名单令人印象深刻。它们包括：UNAM科学家博士表兄弟Gwanama，谁负责协调非洲发展新伙伴关系资助的区域项目，教授鬼头Mshegeni，从坦桑尼亚蘑菇科学专家。教授OMON Isikhuemhen Asemm总统，总部设在美国的顶级蘑菇科学家，喷射到温得和克（星期二），与当地组委会的工作，以确保会议的顺利运行。在接受记者采访时，Isikhuemhen的Asemm说：“其目的是创建一个论坛非洲科学家，农民，医生和传统医生走到一起，开始互相交谈，这样我们就可以开始利用自然资源蘑菇人类和动物的食物和医药。“他说，该协会已经成长于2006年举行第一次会议时，显示在其会议的浓厚兴趣，许多普通百姓。他说，这是一件好事，因为Asemm旨在教育有关蘑菇的人，他们一直吃，如何成长。据以Isikhuemhen，在中国和日本蘑菇广泛赞赏，这是罕见的进入餐厅，看到一个菜单，不包括蘑菇，或给予治疗癌症不包括蘑菇。问，将采取什么pupolarise在发展中国家和转型国家的蘑菇，Isikhuemhen说了很多，需要做的，但也已做了很多。“我们有所有的时间问题是引进蘑菇的人，是不是最好的方式。它没有这样做在基层，有没有可持续性。有需要的人去，问他们蘑菇他们吃了，并告诉他们如何成长。这样，你没有说教，以说服他们。“这是有道理的。毕竟，当地人吃的蘑菇驯化当地的条件和环境，使非洲科学家需要考虑当地的环境和使用他们收购了国外的知识，以促进本地生产。isikhuemhen说，蘑菇在非洲的广泛生产的主要障碍是缺乏菌种（种子）。“他总结说，”生产是一个非常技术性的过程。这就是为什么有微生物学知识的大学教授，都必须参与。政府一定要来支持高校和科研院所，并允许然后与企业合作，以促进生产。
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