Rural women in Nigeria are tackling poverty through the processing of Garri, a creamy-white or yellow granular flour made from fermented, gelatinized fresh cassava tubers. A popular staple food that is eaten in many homes in Nigerian and West Africa.
The rural women are making money through the processing of Garir, with some of them getting support from Philanthropists and the Government for funds to help them stabilize and expand their businesses.
The rural women got a boost in their Garri processing business through the support from the TY Danjuma Foundation (TYDF). The Foundation commissioned a multi-million-naira Garri Processing plant in Ofigba, Ise Orun, Ekiti state; and Imafon in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo state.
This initiative, MAWA-Foundation learned is estimated to generate about N25 million income monthly for women in the communities. They will be selling to the local markets and are expected to export the products.
Thelma Ekiyor, a senior official of the TY Foundation, disclosed the foundation supported rural women with grants given through Women Entrepreneurial Empowerment and Youth Employability and Mentorship Initiatives.
Ekiyo said the initiative is targeted at empowering rural women for a better income generation that will make them financially independent to take them off the burden placed on them by poverty.
She, however, disclosed that the Garri Processing Plant project is being coordinated by the Centre for Women and Children’s Development (CWCD), a non-governmental organization that works in partnership with the Ondo and Ekiti States Governments.
MAWA learned that the Garri processing plants had provided direct and indirect jobs to over 200 women in the community.
The Nigerian government commissioned a Garri processing plant at Mada Village in Lafia, Nasarawa state. A former Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Abubakar Muhammad, said, the initiative is to empower women to boost their income generation and wealth creation.
Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) is supporting the Garri processing initiative for rural women through Partnership Opportunity for Women Empowerment Realization (POWER).
It has since trained and presented certificates to the women who are beneficiaries in Cross River state.
Mr. Ubi, the former Special Adviser on Garri processing, marketing, and packaging said the (POWER) initiative is to build skills and knowledge in Garri processing that plays a key role in empowerment and poverty reduction among rural women.