Seychelles explores new opportunities in mushroom farming |12 December 2025
Group photo of organiser, moderators & participants
What if the next big thing in Seychelles agriculture is not a fruit, a vegetable, or even a livestock product, but mushrooms?
A delegation from the agriculture department recently returned from a 14-day intensive mushroom cultivation training in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China – a global hub for edible fungi research and innovation.
The experience was nothing short of eye opening, offering a glimpse into how this versatile crop could become a sustainable, profitable, and climate-smart industry for our islands.
A journey from theory to hands-on mastery
The training combined classroom learning with real-world practice. Participants tackled everything from the fundamentals of mycology to the more intricate steps of substrate preparation, spawn technology, environmental control, and post-harvest handling – skills that can be put to use right here at home.
Furthermore, practical sessions ensured that each trainee gained confidence in sterilisation and bag preparation, inoculation techniques, incubation and fruiting management, as well as harvesting and processing skills. This strong balance of theory and hands-on experience made the programme especially impactful.
Inside China’s leading mushroom facilities
One of the highlights of the programme was the field visits. The team explored the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences’ Edible Fungus Base and several commercial production sites.
These visits showcased the sophistication of China’s mushroom industry, from automated cultivation systems to expansive growing rooms filled with rows of meticulously cultivated mushrooms operating year-round. For Seychelles, this experience provided valuable insight into the possibilities achievable with the right infrastructure and expertise, offering a clear glimpse of what the country could accomplish in the future.
‘Mushrooms: A Sustainable Solution for Seychelles?’
Absolutely! Mushroom farming presents a promising new frontier for Seychelles. The training confirmed that several species – including oyster mushrooms, root shank, paddy straw, reishi, red pine and pale oyster varieties as they are well suited to our tropical climate and can be successfully cultivated using the appropriate techniques.
Imagine fresher mushrooms on supermarket shelves, new opportunities for farmers, and locally grown varieties served in hotels and restaurants. The potential is huge!
Even more encouraging is that many local agricultural by-products, such as coconut husks, sugarcane bagasse, banana leaves, sawdust, dried grasses, and maize cobs, can be converted into substrates, creating a circular system that transforms waste into valuable production inputs.
Strengthening national capacity
The Plant Health and Crop Research Division is now positioned to play a critical role in shaping the future of the mushroom industry by identifying and testing locally available substrates, evaluating the most suitable cultivation techniques for Seychelles, and equipping Extension Services with research-backed recommendations. In turn, Extension Services will guide farmers based on their resources and financial capacity, while the Land Management Section will support the sector by allocating suitable production sites according to the chosen cultivation methods.
The road ahead: From training to transformation
Building on the momentum from the Wuhan training, several key actions are being proposed to transform mushroom cultivation in Seychelles. Central to this vision is the establishment of a National Mushroom Training & Research Centre, which would serve as a hub for research, spawn production, and farmer training.
Complementing this, developing local spawn production will reduce reliance on imports, cut costs, and ensure a stable supply, while a national training curriculum through the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH) will provide systematic guidance for new growers. Farmers will also benefit from targeted incentives, including micro-grants, equipment support, and access to suitable land, enabling them to enter the industry more easily.
Emphasis will be placed on climate-smart, circular practices, turning agricultural waste into substrates and using mushroom residues as natural fertiliser, enhancing sustainability. Finally, strengthening market linkages with hotels, restaurants, and households will create a ready and growing market for locally produced mushrooms. If successfully implemented, these initiatives could foster a new generation of entrepreneurs – especially youth and women – while bolstering national food production, economic resilience, and sustainable agriculture.
A promising future
The delegation’s experience in China has demonstrated that a thriving mushroom industry is not only possible for Seychelles but well within reach. With coordinated institutional support, research-driven approaches, and stakeholder collaboration, mushrooms may soon become one of the country’s most innovative agricultural success stories.
Seychelles is ready to grow, and mushrooms may be the next chapter in our sustainable future.
Contributed