Mary Kariaga: Kenyan scientist pioneered mushroom farming
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In Kenya, Mary Goretti Kariaga built a career in science and agriculture, eventually pioneering commercial mushroom farming in the country.
Kariaga received strong support for her education from her father, attending the University of Nairobi in 1975 and later studying sugarcane research in Mauritius. She continued her studies, earning a master’s degree in plant pathology and focusing on diseases affecting sugarcane.
After moving to Zimbabwe with her husband in 1999, Kariaga developed an interest in fungi and began cultivating mushrooms as a botanical programme. She started with button mushrooms and expanded to include oyster, shiitake, and Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms, holding training sessions for those interested in learning the practice. Despite experiencing a frightening armed robbery while banking in Harare, she continued her work.
Returning to Kenya in 2002, Kariaga aimed to address protein deficiency and increase income for smallholder farmers by introducing oyster mushroom farming. Her work gained national attention after a presentation to President Mwai Kibaki at the Kisumu Agricultural Show in 2004, which led to increased demand for mushroom training and the establishment of her company, Mount Pleasant Mushroom Consultants.
She also advocated for better salaries for university lecturers, securing a 50 percent increase during a 2007 strike, and completed a PhD on rice diseases.
