RMRDC, OWAARDEV, COLLABORATE ON CASSAVA AND SOYABEAN UTILIZATION TRAINING FOR RURAL WOMEN IN EBONYI STATE

As part of efforts to develop women skillfully especially in the area of agricultural food processing and preservation, as well as building their capacity for economic sustainability through entrepreneurial engagements, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) through the collaboration of Organization for Women and Rural Development (OWARDEV), recently organized a training workshop at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi state on soybean processing and cassava utilization.  The three- day skills acquisition workshop witnessed the participation of selected women from the Ivo Local Government area of the state.

In a key note address at the occasion, the Director General of the Council, Eng. (Prof.) Azikiwe Peter Onwualu made it known that Nigerian women were at the forefront in food processing.  He noted also that for a variety of reasons ranging from the lack of capital, technical knowledge, management capability, fear of the unknown, lack of institutional support, lack of collateral and equity and project ideas, that the rural woman tended to venture into micro or cottage level industries where they were more familiar with the technology and products and start- up capitals were within reach.  And that efforts should therefore be made to empower women in the sphere of micro, small and medium scale enterprises, which consequently would translate to creating gainful employment for thousands of Nigerian as well as reducing poverty level and industrialize the nation.

Prof. Onwualu further added that the workshop was designed to not only placing the women folk in the main stream of industrialization, but also to offer technical support to them in the area of establishing cottage level investment to promote the down stream agricultural processing sector in Nigeria.

The DG who was represented at the occasion by the South Eastern Zonal Liaison Officer, Ugbueze (Mrs.) Rosemary Enweruzor, while commending OWARDEV, for their numerous contributions in the development of women in the country, expressed the hope that the workshop would create entrepreneurial facility awareness among the participants while also availing them with the requisite skills in the area of food processing and preservation.

Earlier in her contribution, the Executive Director of OWARDE, Mrs. Collette Jackson – Nwachukwu, was unequivocal when she pointed out that women for long had suffered the most from poverty, poor economic potentials, the environment , and other socially informed irregularities such as gender discrimination, illiteracy, human rights abuses, and the like. She stressed that the training program was therefore necessary to develop women skillfully on agricultural practices to boost their financial status and make them resourceful.  She says: “Poverty which has been identified as the most crucial problem to be given prompt attention to better the lives of women across the globe.  Following this, we deem it necessary to develop women skillfully on agriculture to boost their financial status and make them resourceful.”

Mrs. Jackson – Nwachukwu also drew out other objectives of the workshop to include, exploring the importance of cassava and Soya milk, acquiring information on the use of cassava, encouraging women on cassava and Soya milk enterprise, acquiring marketing strategies and packaging, alleviating poverty among Ebonyi women, among other things. She was also optimistic that the workshop would expose the participants to the methods of cassava utilization, Soya milk processing and the production, and understanding the best methods of accessing funds to venture into investment ventures.

She therefore encouraged the participants to avail themselves of the opportunity that was presented by the workshop to better their situation in the society. “ Therefore, we urge and hope that the participants will take the lectures seriously as this will bring them to the fore of economic emancipation.  Our organization will continue to work with the women until the quest of their economic status is positively changed.” She said.

Over 180 participants drawn from Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi state attended the workshop. Also in attendance at the historic event were the Provost, Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi state Dr. Lambert Eliagu, including other dignitaries from the state and local government councils, including members of the Organized Private Sector from the state.

                                                                                                                                 Chuks Ngaha