Nation
FG Trains 30 Master Bakers On High Quality Cassava Flour Use
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has initiated a policy to boost cultivation of cassava and other crops using appropriate technologies to enhance job and wealth creation.
The Regional Director, FMARD, South-West, Mr Marcus Ogunbiyi, made the assertion yesterday in Ibadan at the opening of a training of 30 master bakers on use of High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) to reduce wheat importation.
The Tide learnt that the training was also to promote the policy of 20 per cent cassava flour inclusion for baking in the South-West zone.
Ogunbiyi, represented by the South-West Assistant Director (Crops), FMARD, Mrs Omolara Oguntuyi, said that the ministry was working towards achieving food and nutrition security through its various activities.
He said that the ministry was working to achieve this objective through promotion of various crops such as cassava in which Nigeria has comparative advantage in its production.
Ogunbiyi noted that the use of cassava flour for bread production had been evolving through promotion of High Quality Cassava Flour HQCF inclusive policy.
According to him, there are proven technologies that Nigeria should adopt to maximise 10 per cent inclusion of HQCF in bread making and other confectionery.
“This alone can give the country 300,000 tonnes of cassava flour annually.
“It can provide huge foreign exchange, create massive wealth among average Nigerians and eliminate hunger in the community,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Mrs Karima Babangida, said the policy was poised to build agri-business ecosystem that would address the challenges in the agricultural sector in partnership with all stakeholders.
Babangida, represented by the Programme Manager, Root and Tuber Expansion Programme, FMARD, Mr Deola-Tayo Lordbanjou, added that the policy would achieve export substitution, job creation, economic diversification as well as food and nutrition security.
She said that the promotion and adoption of 10 per cent cassava flour in bread and confectionery making would reduce wheat importation.
“The Federal government had continued to advocate more strategies as the training of bakers on the 10 per cent cassava inclusion policy to guarantee acceptability, market, sustainability across the country and addresses existing challenges.
“The impact is that consequent demand for cassava flour will have a positive multiplier effect on cassava value chain/cassava industry and on the entire Nigerian economy.
“The master bakers will learn the skills and cascade down the training to other members to promote increase efficiency in food processing activities and increase cassava roots supply,” Babangida said.
Nation
Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
Nation
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Nation
SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs
“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.
“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.
Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.
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