Page 17 - MRC Newsletter Ed-1 (2021)

Other community engagements
of note from ZERI included the
encroacher bush value chains
initiative in Otjozondjupa Region.
The Division further provided
mushroom training to farmers in
Windhoek as part of transformative
community engagement. Dr
Kadhila indicated that most of these
workshops and trainings enabled Farmer mushroom training at UNAM main campus in Windhoek
ZERI to generate monetary income.

ZERI researchers were also hard at Namibia. success among ZERI researchers.
work by participating and at times
organising research and training One of the researchers who “The merging of ZERI Unit with MRC
activities in Southern African participated in these engagements, was a good move as it encourages
counties which resulted in some Mrs Shivute, asserts that it was the teamwork, and it is good working
visible outcomes and success right decision to merge ZERI under with a group of researchers from
stories in countries such as Angola, MRC as this provided a conducive different disciplines.” Shivute
Lesotho, Eswatini, South Africa and working environment for increased stated.

From left, training in Angola, harvested mushrooms in Lesotho and mushrooms ready for harvest in Eswatini

ZERI hosts students from the faculties According to Dr Kadhila, the The internship for the Microbiology
under internship supervisions. internship activities at ZERI finally undergraduate students from the
According to Dr Kadhila, “the paid off as graduates established Department of Biological Sciences,
Division has been involved in their own mushroom businesses in Faculty of Science, UNAM has been
teaching and supervision of their respective communities, thus in place. Some students are now
postgraduate and undergraduate contributing to UNAM’s agenda
students”. The images below attest of engaging in transformative managing mushroom production
to ZERI’s inclusivity of students in community engagements. Dr companies like Ndaka Mushrooms
Above and below, RUFORUM project team meeting the most of their internship activities at Kadhila proudly states, “ZERI and Processing in Oshikoto Region
community members at Okondjatu and the community
members identifying bushes to be used as mushroom substrates the division. successfully promoted internships. and Bio Hub in Windhoek suburbs.”

From left, Ndaka
mushroom products
and fruiting bags at
the Bio Hub mushroom
house

From left, students’ internship and farmers’ harvest

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