NGO trains 100 Gombe women on food processing, packaging

A non-governmental organisation, Motherhen Development Foundation, on Wednesday, said no fewer than 100 women and farming groups from two Gombe communities had been trained on processing and packaging of agricultural products.

Dr Erisa Danladi, Executive Director, Motherhen Development Foundation stated this while speaking during a ceremony to showcase some of the products in Shongo-Idrissa and Abuja-Bula communities in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Danladi said the training was geared towards empowering women, achieving food and nutritional security and creating job opportunities for the unemployed population in rural communities.

According to her, the training is also aimed at promoting value addition techniques that promote zero waste across the agricultural commodity value chains.

She further stated that women farmers’ capacity to package foods with efficient utilisation of agricultural produce in their communities had been built since the commencement of the training about six months ago.

“This training would allow women in rural areas to have a strong means of livelihood, and viable income and boost food production.

“Since women generate the agricultural produce that feeds the nation, it is important to bring out the potential in them to seize their economic opportunities by learning how to boost their productivity and maximise income.

“Women have good potential for greatness but they need a little push.
“That is what Motherhen Development Foundation in collaboration with Development Exchange Centre and Bread for the World Protestant Development Service has done in these communities, she said.

Danladi said that the women were also trained on hygiene, quality control and marketing strategies with a view to knowing how to leverage online platforms to sell their products.

“We intend for these products to not just end up in this community but to see how we can promote it for them.

“The trend and the world is going digital, there is a lot of online marketing and the likes; we intend for all their products to be online.”

She said that women with disabilities were also taught how to make charcoal briquettes.

Danladi appealed to both the Federal and the Gombe State governments to support the initiative to get more rural women empowered economically towards improving their welfare and well-being.

“I appeal to Nigeria’s first lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu who is passionate about women empowerment especially through agriculture, to support us
“Also, to Gombe’s first lady, Hajiya Asma’u Yahaya who is known for assisting women with different empowerment skills, to come and join us too,” she said.

Asma’u Iganus, the Gombe State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development said the training was in line with the mandate of her ministry to empower women.

Iganus who was represented by Mrs bathsheba Samuel, the Acting Director, Planning and Rehabilitation Services thanked Motherhen Development Foundation while pledging more supports to ensure economic empowerment for women in the state.

On his part, Alhaji Umar Abdulkadir, the Emir of Gona in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State commended the organisers of the training for empowering women groups in his Emirate.

Represented by Alhaji Attahiru Zailani, the secretary of Gona Emirate, Abdulkadir pledged continuous support for programme aimed at empowering women, reducing poverty and creating jobs for people of his emirate.