KIND has worked extensively on various projects in Ogun State amongst which are Sagamu, Ijebu Ode and Abeokuta South LGAs. In 2012, we ran a CommunityEngagement and Public Participation Project titled Bridging the Gap between Governance and Citizens. The project was funded by the Social Development of Civil Society Fund of the WorldBank. Also, in 2014 and 2015, KIND constructed a school building and other facilities in Ojijo Sagamu, funded by the Japanese Embassy which will be commissioned on March 3, 2016 in Ogun state. While KIND has not worked in Owode-ketu community before, in preparation of this project, the organisation’s staff has met with the resident farmers in the community who described their urgent need for cassava processing machines to meet market
demand, to achieve high quality production/processing and improve their labour productivity.
KIND objective is to help the rural women of Owode-ketu community to improve on the processing of their cassava produce by empowering them with modern machineries for processing of cassava into fine and sand-free garri produce across the cassava to garri spectrum of the value chain.
The KIND initiative on cassava processing plant is for the community-based farmers of Owode-Ketu community in Yewa North Local Government Area. This Project will involve mainly the small-scale cassava farmers to improve on their postharvest farm handling which is mainly of the women section of making garri. There is lack of Garri (cassava) processing machinery in Owode-Ketu in Yewa north local government area. The project is related to procurement of cassava machineries for high quality and large quantity garri to enhance the contribution of cassava production and processing technologies to sustainable improvements in terms food security, incomes and livelihoods of the farmers of Owode-ketu community across the cassava sector markers and processors.
Yewa north LGA in Ogun state has the highest number of cassava farmers and Owode -ketu community in Yewa north LGA are regarded as family farmers because they are predominantly cassava farmers and they carefully manage their lands to sustain remarkably good levels of cassava productivity in spite of having less access to productive resources such as agricultural inputs and support for processing their cassava into high quality produce to yield a better income and livelihood. They sell to formal and informal marketers either as raw tubers or processed to garri, fufu, or lafu (white flour) which are done on a small scale. However, Nigeria government has begun to realise the huge potential for the cassava plant as a driver of rural development. The market for cassava for commercial and industrial uses has started to grow. Its root starch is now in high demand from food and beverage companies for bread and beer production. It can also be used in plywood and pharmaceuticals, as well as feedstock for the production of ethanol
biofuel. The cassava farmers in Owode-ketu are able to sell their goods because of their nearest to neighboring towns, local markets and cities like Lagos.
The processing activities of small scale farming especially by the rural women in Owode-ketu community on farm postharvest handling of cassava processor (Garri grating, washing and frying) is seriously affected because of limited access to resources for processing their cassava produce into final stage of the production. Currently, farmers still produce the garri in a traditional way and thus incur high postharvest losses in spite of intensive application of labour.
The comments of the famers interviewed in the study area on processing cassava revealed that at least 60% of cassava is always lost in the production of garri processing because of farm postharvest handling and peeling of cassava by small scale rural women farmers is done traditionally by chipping the cassava manually and drying, which still takes place on the floor in corners of some homes or along roads, which in most cases leads to dirty production and loss of money due to rejection by buyers and sometimes the garri produced can have chronic toxicity, which is a threat to food security in the community, the nation and for industrial users.
Total number of direct beneficiaries: Over 1000 female cassava farmers. the cassava female farmers of Owode-ketu would greatly benefit from this project directly because, the construction and procurement of the facility and machinery will lead to increased incomes and better livelihoods for many cassava farmers as their cassava tubers will be processed to garri in a facility that is accessible and at a competitive rate. The cassava processing centre is expected to add value to these women who will now have the opportunity to capture more value through the enhanced quality and increased quantity of their product (garri). The centre will also facilitate market linkages for small-scale farmers, leading along with the increased quality and quantity of their product, to increased revenues. Lastly, farmers will be able to benefit from better working conditions for the labour force which is largely
composed of women.
The project goes towards the achievement of at least seven of the goals. It would reduce poverty (goal 1) by increasing incomes earned by farmers who would be selling better quality processed garri; it would reduce hunger (goal 2) by increasing the quantity of the popular food item; it would contribute to gender equality and the empowerment of women (goal 5) because the project instead the productivity of women farmers and reduces their time poverty as it relies on time saving technologies; it increases access to affordable and reliable modern energy (goal7) because of the technologies it will offer is a generator that will serve as a reliable source of energy when the national grid fails; it will promote inclusive economic growth and event work (goal 8) and ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns (goal 12) for the same reasons mentioned for goal 5; and by securing the development assistance of the Japanese government and people to implement the project, it contributes to goal 17.
Pamela-Braide-a-director-of-KIND-receiving-the-Project-Contract-from-Head-of-Japanese-Embassy.
Picture-taken-on-at-the-signing-ceremony.
KIND-Head-of-operations-addressing-the-meeting.
Erinpa Owode-Ketu Women Association at the meeting
Meeting after the signing ceremony to inform the Yewa North LGA of the starting of the project.
ODA signboard
Foundation construction
Front view of the building
Back view of the Building and septic tank
Vibrating sifter machine
Garri presser machine.
Cassava stainless grating machine.
Gari Frying machine
