Lokoja
The Kogi state Agricultural sector has received a boost with Agricultural secsector African Development Bank (AfDB) partnering with Synergos Nigeria and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to inaugurate a prototype maciine for conversion of High Quality Cassava Peels into feed ingredients for animal feeds.
The Reporters reports that the prototype was inaugurated at the High Quality Cassava Peels (HQCP) Centre in Ejule, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi on Friday.
Mr Victor Adejoh, Country Director of Synergos Nigeria, in his opening remarks at the occasion,said the innovation was geared toward addressing environmental pollution and income support for women.
Adejoh said that Synergos Nigeria was implementing the project in partnership with ILRI with funding from AfDB as part of the bank’s implementation of its “Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT)”.
The online further reports that Mrs Lydia Oyewole, Synergos Project Facilitator represented the country director.
Adejih disclosed that TAAT’s developmental objective was to scale up agricultural technologies with Livestock component as one of the key compacts to achieve the objectives.
He said that the prototype, waste-to-wealth innovation which would be run by Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), would enable production of high quality cassava peel (HQCP) feed ingredients thereby, circumventing cassava peel drying constraints.
According to him,The prototype machine, the second in the state was first, located at Ojapata, Ankpa Local Government according to him,it is based on the principle of grating; dewatering, fermentation; pulverizing, sieving and drying.
“These steps essentially replicate the age-long processes involved in making cassava pulp, safe for human consumption and storable and also conforms with the code of practice for the reduction of Hydrocyanic acid in cassava and cassava products (FAO, 2013a)
“Cassava peels waste has been recognized for ages as a potential animal feed but with little utilization because of its cyanide content, when consumed wet or its mycotoxins content when improperly dried,”, he said.
Adejoh explained that the machine would produce dried high quality cassava peel mash (fine and coarse) feeds with four to six months shelf-life and suitable for poultry, fish, pigs, goats, sheep and cattle.
Mr David Apeh, the Commissioner for Agriculture called on the women to utilise the prototype pricessing facilitie at their doorstep to increase their livelihood support and better their lives instead of idling away.
Apeh, represented by Ichaka Okolo, Director, Agric Services, also called on AfDB, Synergos, ActionAid and other partners and agencies to increase their interventions in Agribusiness initiative for overall development of the state.
Earlier earlier in her address of welcome, Hajia Sefiya Yahaya, SWOFON Coordinator in the state, called on the Federal and and State Governments to accord women farmers their rights and make land available to them as a right rather than privilege, saying, “Our land is our right.”
Our correspondent correspondent reports that representatives of the state Fadama office, ActionAid Nigeria, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) as well as various women groups graced the occasion.
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