Institution Sensitizes On Hygienic Food Production, Modern Farming Techniques In Anambra
Umunze Federal College of Education (Technical) staff took over Anambra streets to tutor the host community members on hygienic food production and modern farming techniques.
AgroNigeria gathered that the one-day sensitization programme was held for women farmers in the Ezira Community in Orumba South LGA, Anambra, by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Anambra State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP).
While expressing her optimism for the programme, the Provost, Prof. Theresa Okoli, who flagged off the training, stated that the extension programme would equip the participants with relevant knowledge for hygienic food processing and reduce the incidence of high mortality from consumption of poisonous food in rural communities.
According to her, the exercise was part of the college’s corporate social responsibility to the host community and aimed to empower them with practical knowledge of modern farming to boost food production and address food insecurity threatening the country.
Okoli described farming as the main source of livelihood for families in rural areas and urged agrarian communities to take advantage of this year’s farming season to boost their farming activities.
She then informed the community of the benefits of cassava production, saying that poverty and unemployment would be reduced drastically if farmers adopted modern farming techniques for higher crop yield.
She added that the exercise targeted women farmers in the rural community to sharpen their skills and educate them on new farming methods.
She commended the Agricultural Department for the innovative idea, observing that the programme would educate the women in healthy garri processing, organic farming, the use of improved varieties of crops, pest control, and best storage practices, among other things.
Okoli lamented society’s increasing death rate and warned against eating contaminated food or cassava high in cyanide.
She identified fermentation, drying, and cooking as some of the processes of removing harmful substances from garri.
She noted with dismay that some people cook and eat their local ‘abacha’ delicacy the same day it was processed without the necessary fermentation.
She advised participants to spread the knowledge gained from the programme to local farmers to improve the life expectancy among rural dwellers.
In his own remarks, the Dean of the School of Agriculture and Home Economics, Dr. M.C Nwike, said the programme was meant to educate rural farmers on modern ways of food processing to enhance farm production and healthy living of the final consumers.
The programme, he said, targeted farmers residing in and around the host community of Umunze and its environs to combat some of the cancerous diseases caused by eating unprocessed and non-fermented cassava.
Nwike defined the exercise’s mandate as teaching and learning, research, and agricultural extension.
He said the students, with the help of staff used for the training exercise, were mandated to go into rural communities and impart the knowledge they acquired.
According to him, every department student was required to perform such community service as a practical agricultural extension, which is supposed to be a criterion for graduation.
The Agric Department, Nwike said, was able to reach the farmers with the help of ADP, which has direct contact with farmers in rural areas.
He applauded ADP, Anambra State, for its efforts and cooperation in making the programme successful.
Agronigeria/Oyenike Oyeniyi
