Economic Potential and Value Chain of Wild Edible Mushrooms and Cultivated Mushrooms from the Virunga National Park and Surrounding Area in the Democratic Republic of Congo

A substantial body of research has been conducted with the objective of enhancing the understanding of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) in Central
Africa. A significant proportion of the studies focus on medicinal plants, in
contrast to those that examine food products. Nevertheless, studies on edible
wild mushrooms as NTFPs and cultivated mushrooms, on their economic potential and value chains in the Great Lakes Region, remain scarce and largely
absent for some NTFPs. In light of the aforementioned considerations, the
present study aims to examine the economic potential and value chain of the
production sector of wild edible mushrooms (WEM) and cultivated mushrooms (CM) within the Virunga National Park (PNVi) and its surrounding
areas in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). To this end,
a sample of 432 respondents was selected, distributed equitably among the actors of the Goma-Kitshanga-Mweso value chain, the Goma-Rutshuru chain,
the Beni-Mutwanga chain, and the Beni-Mangina chain. A digital questionnaire consisting of open and closed questions was administered, and observations were carried out concurrently. The quantities of mushrooms sold were
weighed and photographed. The results demonstrated that, when the eight month fruiting period of wild and cultivated mushrooms was considered as a
single year for all actors within the value chain, a picker could sell 6.1 kg at $2
and earn $12. A seller could sell 16 kg at $4 and earn $64, while a grower could
sell 502 kg at $3 and earn $1506. Consequently, the CM grower generates a
significantly higher profit than other participants in the value chain, despite
the expenses he incurs. Ultimately, the domestication of WEM, highly prized
by the local population of the Virunga National Park, has the potential to enhance their household incomes, as evidenced by the findings of this study.