From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has trained 80 youths and women on cassava processing, packaging, value addition and utilisation in Kebbi State.
State Coordinator of the ministry Alhaji Shehu Abdullahi made this known at a two-day training programme in the Koko/Besse Local Government Area of the state.
He said, “The purpose of training is aimed at building the capacity of 80 cassava farmers and extension agents on processing, packaging, value addition and utilization in the state.”
Abdullahi said the training was also meant to teach the young men and women profitable ways of processing, packaging, value addition and utilization of cassava in the North West region of the country.
He explained also that the training was also targeted at making the trainees become knowledgeable on products that could be made from cassava and its byproducts which are used for the production of several other products.
Earlier, the Programme Manager in the Ministry, Alhaji Lawal Kurso-Ahmed, charged the trainees to ensure the utilisation of the training by putting what they had learned into practice for their own benefit and that of society.
A cross-section of the participants, when interviewed, expressed delight over the training saying, it would increase their capacity for cassava farming.
They said it would also better their living standards and mitigate food insecurity in their respective domains and the country as a whole.