ZERI, founded in 1996, is officially an NGO based in Switzerland, and now a foundation based in Hannover, Germany. In the broader sense, I see ZERI as a facilitator and an idea node, helping to realize practical projects. The theory from Gunter's book, Upsizing , including concepts of immunity management and generative science, provides a little bit of the background for the lecture. The fungus among us. One of the ZERI projects in Colombia is an integrated operation that produces shiitake mushrooms from the organic waste of a coffee-growing operation.
Coffee waste is inoculated with shiitake mushroom spores.
The mushrooms grow on the waste, breaking down the caffeine and the lignocellulose. The coffee imparts a dark pigment to the shiitake mushrooms, a very highly sought after quality, which increases the mushrooms' value. The mushroom waste, which is richer in protein and vitamins B and E than the original starting material, is fed to cattle. In ecosystems and economies, diversity provides stability, and I see this project as an interesting type of crop insurance. Mushroom growing provides a backup plan against the vagaries and variances of world coffee prices and maybe climate-induced crop failure.