“The versatility of fungi in changing soil, food wastes and degraded forests”

The Mushroom Initiative (TMI) in Hong Kong is a local pioneer in soil restoration through direct fungi inoculation and regenerative agricultural practices which range from putting organic matter into degraded soil to growing living mulch. We grow seasonal vegetables and perennial fruit trees in our 17,000 sq feet farm where our educational activities and research take place. There are two important parameters of healthy soil that we monitor regularly: the total biomass content and the fungi-to-bacteria ratio, which are critical for crops to acquire the immunity against pests, as well as obtaining the most nutrition. We share our experience and knowledge with other local farmers who have suffered from deteriorating farmland. By returning home-made compost of quality into the soil, the land again welcomed a good harvest.

Working hand in hand with other effective micro-organisms, fungi are now helping us with the recycling of 100 kg food wastes on average every month. With their mycelia network, fungi can do more than just digesting complex food but also sending nutrients and signaling molecules for trees in a forest.

Since 2019, we have applied our knowledge of symbiotic fungi into planting forests. Over 55,000 native seedlings were planted in the 15 reforestation sites across Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. When the reforestation work in Thailand finished last year, the multiplying impact on local communities was recognized by local governmental institutes. The adaptation of fungi in each unique plantation, including tropical peat swamp forest, plateau forest and subtropical evergreen forest, has shown their versatility.