PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Cassava commercialisation boosts African farmers' income
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Africa women farmers now have access to another source of income through the cassava value chain programme
funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), according to a statement from the Nigeria-based International Institute
of Tropical Agriculture(IITA).
The programme is tagged: ''Unleashing the Power of Cassava (UPoCA)''.
''Now we can fulfill our financial obligations to educate our children and improve our livelihoods. We will do all within our power to sustain
the MPC (Micro Processing Centre) as a viable asset. Long live the American people," Marie Borbor, a member of the Tongea women's development association in
Sierra Leone, one of the beneficiaries, said.
The project is being implemented in seven African countries -Nigeria, DR Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone -
by the IITA, and has benefited thousands of farmers in these countries.
The Tongea Women farmers in Sandeyalu community are filled with joy with the USAID project .Located 486 km from Freetown, Sierra Leone,
Sandeyalu was once overrun by rebels in 1991. The entire population of nearly 4,000 people took refuge in camps in Kenema where they lived for over
10 years as internally displaced persons (IDPs) until the war ended in 2002.
Interactions in the camp brought the Sandeyalu people together to form a formidable association called 'Tongea women's development association'' comprising of 54
women and four men. It was named after one of the three mountain peaks overlooking their home township called Tongea.
The group initially raised funds through ''coping mechanisms'' such as cutting and selling firewood and soap making as IDPs in Kenema. But that change with the intervention
of USAID/IITA.
With the advent of the IITA-UPoCA project and subsequent inauguration of an MPC, cassava is now an added financial window of opportunity to thousands of farmers.
Incomes from USAID projects such as UPoCA have helped the people of Sandeyalu in rebuilding their community.
''We are very happy to partner with you in all you have accomplished in these years. We are very happy to be your partner. Not too many years ago, this town was
in ruins but, now, look at what you have accomplished. We are very proud to work with you, the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Michael S. Owen, said while
handing over the keys of the IITA-UPoCA-built cassava MPC to the Tongea women farmers.
Since 2009, IITA-UPoCA scientists have backstopped the Tongea women farmers, opening up more than five hectares of their land for cassava cultivation and distributing
over 2,500 bundles of improved cassava varieties to more than 500 cassava farmers.
The Program Manager of IITA-UPoCA, Braima James, explained that in March this year, 60 women and 8 men received hands-on training in cassava processing, product
development and packaging in Sandeyalu town.
The success story of IITA-UPoCA is not limited to Sierra Leone alone. It transcends and cuts across other countries across Africa. In Malawi, the project, among other
activities, revived a moribund starch factory - the first in that country.
Besides, thousands of farmers benefited from improved cassava cuttings, training and capacity building for processors.
The situation in Nigeria was no different as the project linked up processors to farmers for steady production/supply of cassava roots, provided improved cuttings, training and
also helped build the capacities of farmers and processors.
As the project gradually winds down in few months, stakeholders are calling on partners and governments to scale up the cassava value chain model to other communities.
-0-PANA SB/SEG 5Dec2010
funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), according to a statement from the Nigeria-based International Institute
of Tropical Agriculture(IITA).
The programme is tagged: ''Unleashing the Power of Cassava (UPoCA)''.
''Now we can fulfill our financial obligations to educate our children and improve our livelihoods. We will do all within our power to sustain
the MPC (Micro Processing Centre) as a viable asset. Long live the American people," Marie Borbor, a member of the Tongea women's development association in
Sierra Leone, one of the beneficiaries, said.
The project is being implemented in seven African countries -Nigeria, DR Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone -
by the IITA, and has benefited thousands of farmers in these countries.
The Tongea Women farmers in Sandeyalu community are filled with joy with the USAID project .Located 486 km from Freetown, Sierra Leone,
Sandeyalu was once overrun by rebels in 1991. The entire population of nearly 4,000 people took refuge in camps in Kenema where they lived for over
10 years as internally displaced persons (IDPs) until the war ended in 2002.
Interactions in the camp brought the Sandeyalu people together to form a formidable association called 'Tongea women's development association'' comprising of 54
women and four men. It was named after one of the three mountain peaks overlooking their home township called Tongea.
The group initially raised funds through ''coping mechanisms'' such as cutting and selling firewood and soap making as IDPs in Kenema. But that change with the intervention
of USAID/IITA.
With the advent of the IITA-UPoCA project and subsequent inauguration of an MPC, cassava is now an added financial window of opportunity to thousands of farmers.
Incomes from USAID projects such as UPoCA have helped the people of Sandeyalu in rebuilding their community.
''We are very happy to partner with you in all you have accomplished in these years. We are very happy to be your partner. Not too many years ago, this town was
in ruins but, now, look at what you have accomplished. We are very proud to work with you, the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Michael S. Owen, said while
handing over the keys of the IITA-UPoCA-built cassava MPC to the Tongea women farmers.
Since 2009, IITA-UPoCA scientists have backstopped the Tongea women farmers, opening up more than five hectares of their land for cassava cultivation and distributing
over 2,500 bundles of improved cassava varieties to more than 500 cassava farmers.
The Program Manager of IITA-UPoCA, Braima James, explained that in March this year, 60 women and 8 men received hands-on training in cassava processing, product
development and packaging in Sandeyalu town.
The success story of IITA-UPoCA is not limited to Sierra Leone alone. It transcends and cuts across other countries across Africa. In Malawi, the project, among other
activities, revived a moribund starch factory - the first in that country.
Besides, thousands of farmers benefited from improved cassava cuttings, training and capacity building for processors.
The situation in Nigeria was no different as the project linked up processors to farmers for steady production/supply of cassava roots, provided improved cuttings, training and
also helped build the capacities of farmers and processors.
As the project gradually winds down in few months, stakeholders are calling on partners and governments to scale up the cassava value chain model to other communities.
-0-PANA SB/SEG 5Dec2010
