They launch a project on Fungi and their value as ethnocultural heritage

Initiative is financed by the Regional Government Innovation Fund

Lorenzo Palma, Science in Chile.- On Tuesday, May 29, 2023 at the Teatro Galia de Lanco, the project formally began “Lanco mushrooms: Value of ethnocultural heritage”With the participation of the Kilkilko and Puyehue Indigenous Communities and regional authorities, the project FIC Hongos de Lanco: Value of Ethnocultural Heritage was launched. The activity was led by the Governor of Los Ríos Luis Cuvertino Gómez.

The Galia de Lanco Theater was the setting chosen to kick off this exciting initiative, where Juan Rocha, Mayor of Lanco, the Regional Councilor, Ximena Castillo, the head of the GORE Development and Industries Division, Miguel Ángel Martínez, were also present. , the director of the Institute of Plant Production and Health of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the UACh, Dr. Iván Maureira, and representatives of the local community.

“It fills us with joy to have the participation of these two communities in the project. This initiative has great potential to transform the lives of the communities involved. Our wish is that it can be expanded and reach other inhabitants of the territory,” said Luis Cuvertino, Governor of Los Ríos, at the launching ceremony.

The project director, Dr. Erika Briceño, emphasized that the initiative started with the interest of the direct partners of the Puyehue de Malalhue and Kilkilco de Huane indigenous communities, from the Lanco commune. “Both communities were interested in developing this productive activity, to improve and complement their gathering activities, and learn how to produce edible mushrooms.” On the other hand, the sum of indirect beneficiaries of both communities exceeds 140 people.

One of the main objectives of this project is to carry out a sustainable harvest of wild edible mushrooms, providing training in the identification of the collected species. In addition, they seek to rescue the culinary tradition related to mushrooms and develop value-added products that preserve their nutritional qualities, extend their useful life, and generate more income for the communities.

The duration of the project is 24 months, it has an investment of $200 million and is executed by the Universidad Austral de Chile. The project director explained that productive units will be established in each of the communities for two of the most cultivated mushrooms in the world, Pleurotus ostreatus (hongo oyster) and Lentinula edodes (shiitake). Two process rooms will also be implemented for the transformation of raw materials into products with high added value. In this way, the initiative hopes to achieve a constant production of highly nutritious food throughout the year.

On behalf of the members of the Puyehue indigenous community, Isabel Nanguil commented that, “as people belonging to the Mapuche people and rooted in this territory, we consider that this initiative is essential to highlight the way and importance of protecting our natural spaces. This collaboration not only strengthens our ancestral knowledge, but also provides us with the valuable contribution of scientific knowledge in this area”, commented the community representative.

For her part, the president of the Kilkilko indigenous community, Sandra Muñoz, recalled at the launch how mushrooms have always been part of the diet of the Mapuche people. “With this project we have discovered fungi that are new to us or that we thought were poisonous. And they will also train us in the production of commercial mushrooms. That is why we are very happy to be part of this initiative ”she commented.

Launch

In addition to the productive part, the initiative’s main objective is to rescue ethnomycological knowledge, develop manuals for sustainable harvesting, promote the production and preparation of value-added products, as well as encourage the co-creation of various preparations and pairings, gave meet Dr. Erika Briceño at the launch ceremony.

Dr. Iván Maureira, director of the Institute of Plant Production and Health, highlighted his institute’s commitment to establishing a closer connection with the community. «We understood that the university must be the bridge of knowledge for the community. We make an effort to go out into the territory and, for a long time, we have been working with heritage crops, such as chicha, native potatoes, hops and beer. Now, we are focusing on Lanco’s fungi and we are collaborating closely with two communities,” commented Dr. Maureira.

Dr. Briceño, director of the FIC project “Hongos de Lanco: Value of ethnocultural heritage”, concluded by emphasizing that at the end of 24 months the initiative is expected to continue to function naturally in both communities, thanks to training and joint work with the beneficiaries to ensure proper use and ensure continuity over time.