Akwa Ibom Agripreneur Wows Africa Food Fair in Rwanda With Mushroom

An agripreneur from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, made a powerful impression at a major Africa food fair in Rwanda, where her innovative mushroom products drew significant attention from buyers and industry stakeholders.

The food fair served as a key platform for showcasing agricultural innovations from across the continent.

The entrepreneur, whose farm has been operating since 2019, cultivates oyster mushrooms, a variety well-suited to the tropical Nigerian climate.

She also collaborates with partner farms to access over ten different mushroom varieties, expanding her product range to meet diverse market needs.

Her product line includes fresh mushrooms, dried mushrooms, and a unique mushroom powder.

The powder was developed to help people with health conditions such as diabetes and obesity incorporate mushrooms into their meals easily.

“It can be added to pap, tea, juice, smoothies, and pastries. It can also be used as a spice in cooking and as a thickener in soup,” she explained.

The powder is especially popular because it does not alter the taste of food. “If you don’t add it in front of your child or somebody, they won’t even know you have added anything extra to their food,” the agripreneur stated.

This makes it easier for consumers to enjoy the nutritional benefits of mushrooms regularly.

Her journey into mushroom farming began after she could not find fresh mushrooms in Lagos markets following her university education.

She later trained at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, and interned with a practicing farmer to gain hands-on experience.

The response at the Rwanda food fair suggests growing international interest in value-added agricultural products from Nigeria.

Industry observers noted that the fair highlighted the potential for scaling agricultural innovations across Africa.