From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Unique Development Aid Foundation (UDAF), an NGO, has with the assistance ofthe U.S Department of State, through the U.S Embassy, Abuja has established a Cassava Processing machine in Umuahia, Abia State.
The project titled, “Building Poor Small-scale Farmers’ Livelihood for Sustainable Economic Empowerment, was established at Umuichi, Nkata Ibeku community, Umuahia Local Government Area.
Speaking while conducting newsmen round the project site, the CEO of the NGO, Solomon Ifeanyi Nathaniel said by establishing a cassava processing mill for a small-scale farmer community like Umuichi, farmers from the area would no longer travel far distance to get their cassava processed.
Nathaniel disclosed that his NGO, apart from establishing the mill, would conduct capacity building training for beneficiaries which will include best practices on handling and processing cassava as well as basic business management skills.
Nathaniel equally said the NGO would establish a community-led facility management committee that will oversee the operations and maintenance of the processing mill.
He said with the mill at Umuichi, local farmers and the less privileged in the area would receive succour.
A community leader from the area, Chidike Ibelegbu expressesed his people’s joy over the project.
He said before now, farmers from the community used to travel to neighbouring villages to get their cassava processed at high cost.
Ibelegbu said with the establishment of the mill at Umuichi, his people’s suffering in the regard has ended.
He thanked the NGO for coming to their aid and promised they would use the mill with utmost care.