Edible Miombo Wild Mushrooms and Its Potential for Improving Livelihoods of People in Songea and Tabora Districts, Tanzania

Abstract

Purpose: The study assessed the engagement of people in the collection of the miombo woodland wild edible mushroom species for domestic and commercial uses as means of improving the livelihoods of the people in the Ruvuma and Tabora Regions.
 Design/ Methodology/Approach: Cross-sectional research designs were employed where data were collected once in each selected village in Ruvuma and Tabora region. A sample size of 152 from fourteen villages in Songea and Tabora Regions was sampled. Questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used in collecting data. Descriptive statistics were calculated and used to obtain total scores, means, frequencies and percentages which were used to describe the key findings. Qualitative information collected using focus group discussions and key informant interviews were summarized using content analysis.
 Findings: About 98% of the interviewed people are engaged in mushroom collection implying the importance of this activity to villagers and other stakeholders along the mushroom value chain. Of the 28 different edible wild mushroom species identified, only five species i.e. ulelema (Amanita loosii), unguyugu (Cantharellus isabellinus), uhima (Clavulina wisoli), upowa (Lacturius edulis) and kansolele (Temitomyces microcarpus) were most preferred by local communities.
 Research Limitation: The study was conducted on a limited sample size, which may not be representative of the population in the Songea and Tabora districts in Tanzania. The results of the study cannot be generalized to the entire population, as the sample size was not large enough to capture the diversity and variability of the population.
 Practical Implications: Wild mushroom businesses can contribute significantly to food security and poverty alleviation in many parts of Tanzania where miombo woodlands are dominant. Mushroom farming can be an important activity for adding value to the miombo woodland forests hence improving its conservation at the same time providing additional income to the people.
 Social Implications: Commercial production of mushrooms and other Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) along the miombo woodlands can contribute to the social welfare of the people within the communities adjacent to Miombo Woodland forests. This will also improve the engagement and participation of people in forest resources conservation activities.
 Originality/ Value/ Novelty: The study highlights the potential of miombo wild mushrooms as an underutilized natural resource that could improve the livelihoods of people in Songea and Tabora districts.