Training on Composting and Straw Mushroom Cultivation for Women in Xuan Nha

From January 10-13, 2025, People and Nature Recociliation (PanNature) conducted four training sessions on composting and straw mushroom cultivation for 101 women members of the women’s associations from four villages (Thin, Tun, Chieng Nua, and Chieng Hin) in Xuan Nha Commune, Van Ho District, Son La Province, with one session held in each village per day.

This activity was part of the project “Enhancing Economic Empowerment for Ethnic Minority Women in Xuan Nha Commune, Van Ho District, Son La Province,” funded by Cummins DKSH Vietnam.

During these sessions, core women members from the village women’s associations, who had previously received technical training, guided their fellow members in composting and straw mushroom cultivation techniques.

As a result of the training, the village women’s associations formed mushroom production groups, each consisting of 10 members.

The training program not only provided knowledge and skills but also laid the foundation for establishing mushroom cultivation models in the villages, contributing to improving local women’s livelihoods. The model is expected to be fully operational, with the first mushroom harvest anticipated around April 2025.

Xuan Nha is a mountainous commune in Van Ho District, Son La Province, covering a total natural area of 9,374 hectares with a population of approximately 4,503 people. More than 95% of the population belongs to ethnic minorities, primarily the Black Thai and Muong people. Xuan Nha Commune borders the Xuan Nha Nature Reserve, home to rich biodiversity but facing threats of deforestation and biodiversity loss due to unsustainable resource exploitation. The average annual income per capita in the commune is 19.5 million VND, with over 35% of households classified as poor or near-poor. Therefore, supporting local livelihoods is crucial to reducing pressure on forest resources.

To improve the livelihoods of local women, the project “Enhancing Economic Empowerment for Ethnic Minority Women in Xuan Nha Commune, Van Ho District, Son La Province,” funded by Cummins DKSH Vietnam, has been implemented with the following objectives:

• Creating opportunities for women to start businesses in production and commerce, particularly in straw mushroom farming using the rotating straw column model.
• Increasing women’s economic contributions to household income structures.
• Utilizing agricultural by-products and minimizing plastic waste in production.

Previously, on January 4-5, 2025, PanNature organized an intensive training session on composting and straw mushroom cultivation techniques for 16 local trainers. These trainers later facilitated the knowledge transfer during the village-level sessions.