Introduction
Rendering self-reliance
Mushroom cultivation as a tool for self-reliance
Three-in-one training
Obligations and responsibilities
Alternate ways of doing things
Collaboration and partnerships
Opening and closing ceremonies
Operational recommendations
Monitoring and Evaluation
To promote income generation opportunities for people with disabilities living in Thailand, FAO initiated a project with the government’s Department of Public Welfare to reach out to the disabled people in rural areas.
The main objective of the project was to enhance opportunities for rural people with disabilities to become self-reliant and to show their capabilities, allowing them to re-integrate their community and be active members of society.
Mushrooms were selected as offering good market opportunities because of their high demand in the Thai diet. The project confirmed that both physically and mentally disabled people are fully capable of cultivating mushrooms and setting up a profitable enterprise. Mushroom cultivation further offers low start-up costs with short-term returns on investment. It further offers food sustainability and promotes self-sufficiency by the sale of mushrooms from the farm and within the community.
Through a carefully developed selection and training methodology, training has been made efficient and replication on a private scale has proven sustainable and even profitable. By using different methods and developing personal ways of accomplishing various tasks, people with disabilities can dot everything needed for establishing a successful mushroom enterprise.
The result can be seen in the self-satisfaction and higher self-esteem in many of the trainees. Several trainees married following training. Others have actually become physically stronger. Although incapable of making detailed business plans and keeping detailed accounts, successful project trainees can keep basic records of sales and income, and know how much profit they are making. Trainees with mental disabilities are also capable of basic bookkeeping and developing marketing strategies.
Several trainees have become trainers themselves, whether at the training center or within their family and community. The trainees have developed specific skills and serve as an example for new trainees. Other trainees have been requested by schools to teach adolescents or women’s groups about mushroom cultivation. All trainees have already transferred their know-how to family members who not only support them but also have found mushroom to be a major source of household income.
As trainers, you need to be aware that you have been selected for a very specific task, and that you will play a major role in the future of a number of people. Your responsibility is to enable people with disabilities for a better and happier life by making them self-reliant.
To give disabled rural people the opportunity of becoming self-reliant.
The main objective is to make disabled rural people reach economic self-reliance as entrepreneurs through income generation. You must remember this at all times during the training. All trainees that participate in the extensive training course are there by choice, and because they believe that the training course in mushroom cultivation will give them the necessary tools for a better life. It is your responsibility to make them feel “FULLY CAPABLE” of doing anything and everything.
Trainees must believe they “CAN DO”
Mushroom cultivation offers several advantages.
1. Mushrooms can be cultivated on a small and large scale to allow personal consumption or the start of a commercial enterprise.2. Collected mushrooms can be sold as a supplemental or major source of income, depending on the size and number of mushroom houses.
3. People with physical disabilities are fully capable of accomplishing all necessary tasks in mushroom cultivation, even if some modifications in constructions and equipment may be needed. Specific tasks may need to be done differently because of certain disabilities.
4. Chronically ill or weak people can work in a cooler environment since mushrooms grow under the shade. This reduces physical exertion associated with open cultivation as with rice and small fruit.
5. Mushroom cultivation can be performed by mentally disabled people. Several tasks required are repetitive and can easily be learned.
6. For people interested in experimenting, the range in types of mushrooms and cultivation techniques can prove challenging and gratifying.
7. Mushroom cultivation offers a wide range of activities most suitable for people with various needs, diverse interests and specific capabilities.
8. Mushroom cultivation can be started at a very low cost. In the province of Ubon Ratchathani a mushroom house capable of holding 1,000 mushroom bags can be built for as little as 500 Baht (US$12) depending on the creativity of the constructor and its ability to use readily available and appropriate materials.
9. Mushrooms can be produced and sold within 2 to 4 months.
10. Collected mushrooms can be sold fresh in the village, on the local market or directly from the farm.
11. Spawns or seeds and spawn bags can be bought by the entrepreneur at a reasonably low cost allowing an acceptable profit margin. Thailand spawn is among the least expensive.
12. Spawn bags can be produced for self-use and can also be sold, thus increasing the profit margin and generating more income.
13. Mushrooms can be processed into various types of food, which will give an added value. (Mushrooms being highly perishable, they must be quickly sold or processed)
14. Mushrooms can be consumed providing high levels of proteins and vitamins to all family members.
Rehabilitation + Mushroom cultivation + Enterprise development
As trainers, you must be prepared to advise trainees in three very distinct and different areas:
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1. Rehabilitation |
of the mind: |
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To give them more confidence |
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To prepare them for a happier life |
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To render them self-reliant |
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To get them to believe they CAN DO. |
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of the spirit: |
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They must accept who they are |
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They must accept how they are |
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They must accept their difference |
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They must learn about others |
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of the body: |
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They must learn to do things |
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They must learn to do things differently |
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They must learn to control their body |
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They must learn to accomplish new tasks |
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2. Mushroom cultivation: |
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Nature of Mushrooms and their properties |
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Basic knowledge in PDA, tissue culture and spawning |
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Producing bags |
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Techniques in mushroom cultivation |
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Packaging |
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Marketing |
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Processing |
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Waste management and recycling |
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Troubleshooting for pest and disease control |
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How to build a mushroom house |
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3. Enterprise development: |
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How to set up an enterprise |
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How to make this enterprise profitable |
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Basic bookkeeping |
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Training and training related duties
Administrative duties
Maintenance of mushroom farm
Financial assistance for trainees
Daily book keeping and financial management
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Both technical and financial support will be needed by
trainees to help them set up their new enterprise. In many countries,
governments have set up special funds to help people with disabilities in
enterprise development. These vary in terms of amount and whether they are loans
with interest, interest free, or special grants. Information regarding these
loans can be found at local municipal or provincial administration offices, or
through various ministries responsible for the wellbeing of people with
disabilities namely ministry of labor and social welfare, ministry of health,
and other ministries, depending on the country. Trainers should get relevant
information to assist trainees in preparing all necessary documents needed when
applying for financial support. Trainers should also help follow up granting of
financial support and monitor payment of loans by giving advice in income
management, when needed. |
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Simple yet accurate accounting must be kept on a daily basis. It is highly advisable that all moneys go through a bank account in order to ensure close monitoring of income and expenses. Specifically in the case of mushroom cultivation, mushrooms are harvested and sold on a daily basis and therefore generate regular income. Trainers may also be in a position to supply raw materials to trainees and therefore raw materials will be sold regularly. In order to ensure daily monitoring, it is necessary to keep several financial records. Financial records required 1. Monthly cash flow statement (on a daily basis writing all
expenses, income and balance; 2. Inventory book (including all raw materials with purchase prices, date of purchase, supplier’s name) 3. Mushroom sales record (for all daily sales of mushrooms) 4. Raw materials sales record (for all raw materials sold to ex-trainees or other buyers) 5. Credit control system (with specific credit notes with accounts receivables giving the precise date of purchase, name of buyer, item purchased, quantity, price and total amount, payment due date). 6. Petty cash voucher system (for quick purchasing of necessary goods) 7. Cash book (following bank in flows and out flows)
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Answering specific needs
Creative thinking
Although people with disabilities are capable of accomplishing all tasks involved in mushroom cultivation, certain adaptations and strategies need to be developed. Two people with the same disability may not have the same abilities and therefore it is necessary to fully understand both disability and capability. Each person is different.
Trainees themselves will develop their own personal ways of doing things. Nevertheless, trainers need to give direction and options. The best example can be seen in the following pictures, which shows how a person can use the feet to replace the inability of using two hands.
Making substrate bags generally needs the use of two hands. Each step in making bags can be done with the help of feet.
Awareness of new training programs and collaboration with other agencies and organizations will help disabled trainees reintegrate society and become fully active members of their community. Furthermore, some agencies can offer know-how in personal development, mushroom cultivation and business development. For example, teaching institutions such as universities and technical colleges may offer courses in agriculture and farm management, which may be useful in the training course. They can be invited as guest lecturers.
The following is a reference list of organizations and institutions that should be contacted and requested for collaboration and eventual partnership.
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Implications
Certificates of achievement
The importance of opening and closing ceremonies needs to be highlighted. These ceremonies offer the opportunity to show to those organizations and institutions what programs are involved along with their objectives. It further shows to governments, both local and central, projects involving people with disabilities and especially demonstrates these people’s will and capabilities. These ceremonies should further encourage political figures to do more in support of people with disabilities.
As a recognition of the trainees’ perseverance and capability of learning about mushroom production, certificates of achievement should be remitted to each trainee. It is a low cost yet high impact incentive, which confirms to all people within the trainees’ family and community that they have successfully completed the course in mushroom production.
Check acquired knowledge
Check mushroom house at trainees’ home
Make sure trainees received their raw material
Frequency of visits
Check sustainability
Permanent support
Encouraging support from family and community
Keep notes of all visits and meetings with ex-trainees
Following training, it is necessary to evaluate trainees.
Verify that trainees can accomplish each task during training. Following training, verify acquired knowledge in mushroom cultivation. If there is some part that is not well understood, which is necessary for starting the business, it must be clarified before sending back trainees to their home.
Once trainees have returned home to set-up a mushroom house, trainers must go and visit them to make sure that the mushroom house is ready and properly constructed.
If the training center supplies raw materials necessary for trainees, it makes it easy to monitor delivery and quality. However, if trainees need to buy their materials from the market, trainers should make sure that trainees are taught how to select the right materials.
Trainers must regularly visit trainees at their home at the beginning of their new enterprise; at least once a month. Once trainees are comfortable and sure of themselves, frequency can be set to once every three months, then once every six months.
Monitoring should be conducted at least once a year to make sure that everything is fine.
Trainers must verify the income and yield of mushroom farms to verify whether the farm is profitable or not. Trainers should strongly encourage trainees to keep clear records of sales and expenses. If the farm is not profitable, trainers are expected to be capable of identifying the causes and help solve the problems.
Trainers must monitor problems of trainees whether they are technical in mushroom cultivation, or social because of family or community. Close interagency collaboration will help minimize problems and can help solve those encountered. For technical problems, trainers may refer to a specialist in mushroom cultivation from the Ministry of Agriculture or from a University. A resource person close to the trainees’ farm would be an advantage.
Trainers must encourage family and community members to support trainees in their new enterprise. Trainers can offer to follow-up on financial support requested by trainees, whether it has been received, and give advice on its reimbursement.
Trainers should log all visits to trainees including problems and solutions. This will help continuous and future monitoring and verify if there is any improvement or deterioration in the situation of trainees. These changes can be in mushroom production, in income generation, in their livelihood, their eating habits, in their emotional state. These notes should be placed in a special file accessible to all trainers and management team members.
