In the remote valleys of Humla, hidden within the villages of Simikot and Kharpunath, life remained simple and untouched by many of the world's common wonders. Among these unfamiliar treasures were mushrooms, particularly the oyster mushrooms that were common and affordable elsewhere but a rare and precious gem in this region. 

Jaskala Sunar, a 55-year-old resident of Yangchu-5 in Kharpunath, had never seen a mushroom in her entire life. The idea of eating one was beyond her imagination. Jaskala belongs to a marginalized community and is a member of the Laganshil Farmers Group, which recently shifted its focus to mushroom cultivation. For many years, Jaskala and her friends worked hard as laborers just to make ends meet. Their lives were filled with challenges and hard work. But things began to change when ANSAB, through the GRAPE project, introduced mushroom farming to their community.  

Jaskala remembers her first training session clearly: “I was really happy because it was the first training I ever attended,” she says reflecting on the first-ever training organized for marginalized groups. “We learned how to grow mushrooms using local materials like naked barley straw and wheat husk to make the growing bed. We grew the mushrooms and shared them among ourselves.” When she tasted a mushroom for the first time, she was amazed. “It was like eating meat,” she says with a smile. The entire community shared the same joy, delighted to have this new and rare vegetable as part of their meals. 

But it wasn’t just about enjoying a new vegetable. They soon realized that mushroom farming could provide a new way to earn money. Mushroom farming is much easier than growing vegetables,” Jaskala explains. “Growing vegetables took a lot of time and effort, and selling them was always difficult. But with mushrooms, people come to our homes to buy them for 550 to 600 NRs per kilogram.”  

She now believes that mushroom farming will help to sustain her life and provide a brighter future for her children. She has recently prepared 30-35 unit of growing medium to grow mushrooms and dreams of being known as a successful farmer in her community, feeling deeply grateful to the GRAPE project for the knowledge and opportunities it has provided. 

This GRAPE project started with a few training sessions to see if mushrooms could grow in the villages of Humla. After the first successful harvest, the villagers tasted the mushroom and loved them. Today, 93 households have received mushroom seeds, and 83 people have been trained to grow mushrooms and prepare the growing substrate. Seventeen farmers have even started commercial mushroom farming, with materials provided to build small growing tunnels. 

A big part of the project’s success comes from using locally available materials. Instead of the commonly used rice straw, the villagers used what they had-naked barley straw, millet straw, wheat husks, wheat straws, and buckwheat straws to create the growing substrate. This has made mushroom farming easier and more affordable, allowing people to optimize what they already had to create value-added product. For the marginalized communities, who have very little land, this new approach has been especially helpful. 

For Jaskala and others like her, mushroom farming brings new hope. The excitement of these members is very high as they embark on their new venture and the short lifecycle with premium price of mushrooms allows for multiple harvests, promising improved living standards. 

Through GRAPE project, ANSAB is helping people to become more independent and learn about climate-resilient farming practices. The introduction of mushroom cultivation in Humla has brought a new source of income and hope for a better life. With the support from the project, these communities are now equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to build a sustainable and prosperous future. The mushroom cultivation in Humla is just the beginning of a new chapter of resilience and growth.