Implementation of Small-Scale Mushroom Production Systems in Rural Cambodia

Cambodia has a largely agrarian economy, with roughly 75 percent of the population working in agriculture, chiefly cultivating rice. Since rice can only be grown eight months of the year, the other months farmers are forced to migrate to cities to find employment to support their families. Mushroom cultivation is an attractive source of alternative work and supplemental income in Cambodia because it is not labor intensive and it produces a high-value crop. Thera Metrey is a venture making mushroom cultivation accessible to farmers in rural areas around the town of Kampong Cham in central Cambodia. Initial introduction of the technology was successful in involving farmers and aligned with socio-cultural traditions. As the venture grew to include over 80 mushroom houses, opportunities to improve the technology as well as the business model became evident. This article discusses the early stages and growth of Thera Metrey in order to highlight the successes and obstacles faced in its implementation.