Workshop on modern mushroom cultivation techniques at IUB engages 20 entrepreneurs

The Department of Life Sciences of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) organized a workshop on Modern Mushroom Cultivation Techniques on Monday, April 27, 2026.

A total of 20 mushroom cultivators and entrepreneurs from different parts of the country participated in the session and shared their challenges and experiences, according to a media release. 

From enriching household nutrition to generating income for marginal families, mushrooms have emerged as a promising crop, but fungal contamination remains a persistent challenge – often beginning in a single spawn bag and spreading rapidly to devastate entire farms.

To address this, Dr. Jebunnahar Khandakar, Associate Professor of Life Sciences at IUB, developed an innovative method after nearly three years of research that prevents the spread of harmful fungi without reducing yield, while remaining safe for both the environment and human health.

Monday’s workshop aimed to do two things: first, answering farmers’ questions about this new technique and gathering feedback to improve it further; and second, help entrepreneurs better understand the longstanding challenge of sustainable market access to increase profitability.

In the inaugural session, special guest Rezaul Karim Siddique, renowned media personality and host of the iconic agricultural television show “Mati O Manush”, said mushrooms have not reached the grassroots level in Bangladesh in 40 years, mainly because people still doubt whether they are actually proper food. Quality spawn is also not readily available. In addition, due to marketing challenges, mushrooms have not yet been widely accessible to rural populations; they remain popular largely among upper- and middle-income groups.

Jamal Uddin Ahmed, founder of the Priyozon Mushroom Foundation in Bagura, who has been involved in mushroom cultivation for 20 years, said the dropout rate among mushroom entrepreneurs is as high as 99.9%. From what was once several hundred thousand entrepreneurs, only a handful continue in the sector today. This is despite its many benefits – regular consumption of mushrooms worth only about BDT 5,000 a month by a family can help prevent several chronic diseases.

He also said that the collective effort needed among entrepreneurs to expand the mushroom sector has yet to take shape. The cultivation is an intensive process – from tissue culture to marketing, a precise chain must be maintained throughout. As a perishable product, it requires close oversight in production, processing, packaging, and marketing, but such support has never been adequately provided to entrepreneurs by the authorities.

IUB Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Daniel W. Lund; Dean of the School of Environment and Life Sciences Dr. K Ayaz Rabbani; and Head of the Department of Life Sciences Dr. Md Mahmodul Hasan Sohel also spoke at the inaugural session.

In the technical part of the session, Dr. Khandakar delivered a presentation on the new technique. She said it is a knowledge-based business, where achieving good yields requires continuous learning and making incremental adjustments to methods.

Rather than limiting the session to cultivation techniques alone, Dr. Jebunnahar also explained the underlying scientific principles, enabling participants to develop a comprehensive understanding of both the methods and their scientific purpose.

Dr. Ikramul Hasan, Head of the Department of Human Resource Management at IUB, highlighted the importance of social media and digital platforms in diversifying market reach and expanding customer bases, encouraging entrepreneurs to build strong, independent brands while also driving collaboration within the sector.

He particularly emphasised collective efforts, since the mushroom market in Bangladesh remains underdeveloped and that mutual support can play a crucial role in growth, the release adds.