Entrepreneurship “mushrooms” through Scouts in Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon

The Bhutan Scouts Association (BSA) has introduced mushroom cultivation to the Shaba community in Paro, southwest of Bhutan, with the support of the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Foundation. The initial stage of the project included the construction of mushroom sheds, which involved the Scouts and the Shaba community especially the housewives and personnel of the Royal Bhutan Army.

The participants were given a two-day training at the National Mushroom Centre in August 2014. They learned the different stages of straw mushroom cultivation – cutting of the straw, soaking it in cold water before steaming it, sowing of the seeds, packing, stacking and storage of the plastic bags, watering of the seeds and harvesting. They were eager to learn, as the profit earned from the sale of the mushrooms would supplement their income.

The community-based Scouting coordinator of BSA will develop an operating mechanism to ensure the accountability and sustainability of one of BSA’s most successful community development initiatives. The association also monitors and conducts impact assessment on the mushroom shed regularly.

By Dorji Wangchuk, Project Focal, Bhutan Scouts Association (BSA).