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In Uganda’s Rukiga district, oyster mushrooms are transforming lives and protecting wetlands. A simple farming shift is reviving ecosystems and securing income for struggling communities Once mocked for growing mushrooms, Tumuhimbise Kedress now inspires her community with harvests that support her family and help save the endangered Grey Crowned Crane. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi. In Uganda’s Rukiga district, a quiet transformation is taking root – one that is rewriting the future of rural livelihoods, revitalising wetlands, and helping save the iconic but endangered Grey Crowned Crane. The unlikely hero at the centre of this success story? The humble oyster mushroom. It began as a seemingly far-fetched idea. The International Crane Foundation, renowned for its global efforts to protect cranes and their ecosystems, partnered with three local farming groups in mid-2024 to pilot a new project. The goal: offer rural Ugandan communities a sustainable, alternative income stream that wouldn’t depend on harvesting resources from nearby wetlands, the crucial breeding ground for cranes. For generations, these communities have relied on farming staples like beans, Irish potatoes, and sorghum – crops that take months to mature and yield meagre returns. A single sorghum harvest, for example, takes six months and yields approximately $53 (just less than Rs1000). In the face of poverty, limited land, and poor soil fertility, some farmers had begun encroaching on wetlands for farming and firewood collection, threatening the fragile balance of the ecosystem and putting the survival of the Grey Crowned Crane at risk. That’s where mushrooms came in. “Mushroom cultivation emerged as the perfect solution—it requires minimal space, can be done year-round, and doesn’t depend on clearing wetland vegetation,” said Patrick Engoru, the International Crane Foundation’s Uganda country manager. The initiative involved training local farmers to grow oyster mushrooms using agricultural by-products like sorghum husks as a growing medium. The startup costs were low – around $31 (about R550) for mushroom spawn – and within three months, a farmer could potentially earn more than $125 (about R2 200) from sales. Compared to traditional crops, the turnaround time and profits were revolutionary. At first, the idea was met with hesitation, even ridicule. “Before growing mushrooms, I thought people would not buy them as they were not common in the villages,” said Tumuhimbise Kedress, a member of Rwempango Tukwataniise, one of the participating groups. “When we started growing mushrooms, many community members would see me going to our growing site, and they would start pointing at me and laughing.” But that initial scepticism quickly gave way to admiration. As mushroom harvests began yielding reliable income, neighbours who once mocked the growers became regular customers. The mushrooms, it turned out, were not only nutritious but also versatile – fitting seamlessly into Ugandan dishes like katogo as a protein substitute, helping families save on meat costs. Beyond the financial uplift, the impact of the mushroom project has been deeply personal for many families. This Article is written by Ivor Prince which was published in https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/ Link to the Article: https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/mushrooms-save-cranes-and-livelihoods-in-rural-uganda/

A ground-breaking discovery in Australia is shaking up the world of mining. Scientists have uncovered a remarkable fungus that interacts with gold in a way no one expected. This new finding could lead to more sustainable methods of gold extraction. Fungus Capable Of Metabolizing Gold. Credit; Freepik | Indian Defence Review In a discovery that blurs the lines between biology and mining, researchers at Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, found that a species of fungus has the unusual ability to metabolize gold. This finding could reshape the future of mining, both on Earth and in the vast reaches of space. The fungus, Fusarium oxysporum, is best known for decomposing organic material, but it was found to have an extraordinary interaction with gold, a chemically inert metal that most organisms cannot process. A scientific mystery solved In 2019, the research team led by Dr. Tsing Bohu from CSIRO made a striking observation: certain strains of Fusarium oxysporum were capable of extracting gold from their environment. Gold is notoriously chemically stable, meaning it does not easily react with other elements or compounds. The fact that this fungus can metabolize gold in such a manner defies conventional understanding. “Gold is so chemically inactive that this type of interaction is unusual and surprising,” Dr. Bohu explained. The fungus does not just interact with the metal; it incorporates gold into its structure, leading to the potential for more sustainable methods of gold extraction in the future. Implications for gold mining in Australia The discovery has generated significant interest in the mining industry, especially in Australia, which ranks as the world’s second-largest gold producer. Gold extraction is becoming increasingly difficult and environmentally damaging as traditional mining methods tap out accessible resources. Now, the idea of using fungi to pinpoint new gold deposits is being explored. In regions like Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia, fungi could serve as biological indicators, much like eucalyptus trees or termite mounds, which have been used to find hidden gold deposits beneath the surface. Researchers propose that the fungus might help pinpoint areas rich in gold by analyzing soil for specific strains of Fusarium oxysporum. The benefits of this approach could extend to more sustainable practices. By using fungi to locate gold instead of invasive mining techniques, the industry could reduce its environmental footprint, preserving ecosystems while efficiently identifying valuable gold sources. Space mining: fungi could play a crucial role What makes this discovery even more tantalizing is its potential use in space exploration. As companies begin to explore asteroid mining, one of the most pressing challenges is how to extract valuable metals from asteroids without relying on heavy machinery or complex equipment. This is where fungi could come in. The concept, known as “metabolic mineralurgy,” proposes sending modified fungi to space to process ores directly from celestial bodies. If the technology proves viable, fungi could simplify the process of extracting metals such as gold from asteroids, offering a far more cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional space mining methods. The idea of using living organisms to perform mining tasks in space could fundamentally change how humanity approaches resource extraction beyond Earth. If fungi can thrive in the harsh environment of space while also metabolizing metals, it could open up a new frontier for space exploration and mining. Biological advantages of gold-coated fungi Research also revealed another surprising benefit of the gold-coated fungi: they grow faster and larger than those that do not interact with gold. This suggests that the presence of gold provides the fungi with a biological advantage, possibly offering a more robust and efficient growth pattern. Furthermore, these gold-coated fungi tend to host a more diverse range of other fungi, supporting a richer ecosystem within the soil. This finding suggests that gold-coated fungi may play an important role in the broader biological community, influencing biodiversity in ways previously not understood. The discovery challenges long-held beliefs about the interactions between organisms and precious metals and has the potential to redefine our understanding of gold’s role in the environment. As the research continues, it may offer new methods for sustainable resource extraction on Earth and in space, while also shedding light on the unseen role fungi play in nature’s recycling systems. This article is written by Arizki Ameri which was published in Indian Defence Review Journal. Link to the Article: https://indiandefencereview.com/in-2019-fungus-that-metabolizes-gold-mining-in-space/