Cooperative trains 5, 000 women on cassava foods in Borno

The Cassava Farmers Cooperative Union says no fewer than 5000 women in Borno have so far been trained to produce good varieties of cassava foods.

The Chairman of the cooperative, Alhaji Alamin Umara, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Friday that the gesture was aimed at boosting the entrepreneurial skills of women across the state.

Umara said the women were being trained to produce additional foods in their various localities that would generate income as well as food security of cassava.

He listed some of the cassava food derivatives to include bread, chin, cakes, pounded yam, flour, doughnut and garri, among others.

Umara said that each of the women received N20, 000 grant to enable them start up their businesses.

“Most of the women we trained were victims of the insurgency drawn from Bama, Munguno, Magumeri, Abadam, Baga and so on.

“We are expecting some loan from the bank, we have concluded plans to train 15, 000 of them on the same skills.

“The gesture, we believe, will go a long way to alleviate the plight of the beneficiaries as well as create employment opportunity for them,’’ Umara said.