Building Climate Resilient Food Systems Through Oyster Mushroom Cultivation Using Organic Waste in Fragile Settings

Conflicts, climate shocks, and limited agricultural inputs remain the primary drivers of food insecurity, malnutrition, and environmental degradation that constrain sustainable food production in South Sudan. Oyster mushroom cultivation offers low-cost, climate-resilient strategy for enhancing food security, improving livelihoods, and promoting sustainable waste management. However, evidence on the sustainable use of locally available organic wastes as substrates for mushroom production is currently lacking. This study evaluated the suitability of ten substrates derived from four organic biomass wastes-peanut shells, water hyacinth, cotton husks, and sawdust-and their 50:50 combinations for mushroom cultivation under resource-limited settings. Using a completely randomized experimental design, key growth, yield, efficiency and economic parameters were assessed. The results showed significant influences of substrate type on all parameters (p < 0.05). Peanut shells supported the fastest colonization period (21.0 ±1.58 days) and shortest growth cycle (30 ± 1.58 days), while sawdust had the slowest (36.0 ± 1.58 days) and (58.0 ± 2.00 days) respectively. Water hyacinth produced the highest total yields (375.2 ± 33.6 g) and biological efficiencies (25.01 ± 2.24%), with the greatest production rate (3.98 ± 0.41 g·day<sup>-1</sup>). Cotton husks showed moderate performance across all indicators. Economic analysis revealed water hyacinth having a strong profitability (BCR 3.67; ROI 267%), while water hyacinth–cotton husk combination performed moderately and remained profitable even at low break-even prices. These findings demonstrate that oyster mushroom cultivation using locally available biomass wastes, especially water hyacinth is viable, economically profitable, and capable of diversifying livelihoods, strengthening food security resilience, and supporting sustainable waste management in fragile and resource-limited settings.