Youth in Cassava Processing |
The African
Development Bank (AfDB) and the Brazil-Africa Institute (BAI) have
launched the Youth Technical Training Program (YTTP) - an initiative
that aims to train young African professionals in research and
technology transfer, contributing to local capacity development.
The YTTP initiative
is sponsored under the South-South Cooperation Trust Fund (SSCTF) and
will consists of an array of professional development schemes to meet
diverse needs of African countries by utilizing Brazil's technology,
skills and knowledge. Focus areas include agriculture and rural
development, health, education, information and communication,
infrastructure, and the creative industry.
As part of this
initiative, both parties on Thursday, September 14, announced the
commencement of training of African youth for rewarding careers in
cassava processing.
The first batch of
the YTTP training, which was flagged off at the AfDB headquarters in
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, targets 30 young African professionals (between
the ages of 18 and 35) of the cassava value-chain selected from 14
countries. The trainees will receive a two-month training on the
production chain of cassava at the Brazilian Agricultural Research
Corporation (EMBRAPA) - a state-owned centre in Brazil.
The cassava
training initiative was launched in close collaboration with the
Brazil-Africa Institute, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
(EMBRAPA) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
(IITA).
Cassava is considered crucial to the food security of millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Most technologies
developed in Brazil, especially those which relate to agriculture, are
relevant for Africa. In addition, there is an increasing demand for
Brazilian technology applicable to the African context.
Speaking at the
launch of the YTTP, the Bank's Director of Agriculture and
Agro-Industries, Chiji Ojukwu, explained that the first batch of cassava
processing trainees would be for two months.
"The development of
the cassava training programme is one of the many programmes of ENABLE
(Empowering Novel Agri-Business-Led Employment) Youth Program of the
AfDB. There will be more of such programmes to be developed with the
Brazil Africa Institute," he said.
The President of
the Brazil Africa Institute, João Bosco Monte, was optimistic that the
trainees go back to their different counties with sound cassava
production and processing training and skills at the end of the two
months training.
Bosco Monte said
the dream of his Institute was to work with AfDB to increase the number
of participants for the cassava processing training to at least 300 in
the coming years.
"This is just the beginning," he assured.The Minister of
Youth and Employment of Côte d'Ivoire, Sidi Touré, described the YTTP as
important to Africa, stressing how the country would tap from the
knowledge of Ivorian participants.
"I am optimistic that this programme will change the fortune of African youths," he added. The Director
General of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA),
Nteranya Sangina, urged the trainees to tap into the expertise available
in Brazil and prepare to contribute to making cassava a crop for food
security in Africa.
He recalled how, as
Nigeria's Minister, AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina moved aggressively
on import substitution with the use of cassava flour for composite
flours in bread-making and confectionery industries.
"Brazil has several
products processed from cassava. When you get to there, study and
acquire knowledge of modern technologies as much as you can," he charged
the 30 YTTP trainees.
"My dream is to have greater collaborations between young Brazilians and young African in the cassava processing sector."
In their speeches,
Bright Okogu, the AfDB Executive Director for Nigeria and São Tomé and
Príncipe; and Hiromi Ozawa, Executive Director for Brazil, Argentina,
Austria, Japan and Saudi Arabia, highlighted the potential impact of the
project on the relationship between Africa and Brazil. "We are eager to
have you come back to practice and teach your generation what you have
learnt. Financial and technical assistance will certainly come as some
point. Things are not what they used to be," Okogu told the
participants.
"The YTTP feeds
into the Bank's ENABLE Youth Program, which directly relates to two of
the Bank's High 5 priority areas: Feed Africa and Improve the quality of
life for the people of Africa," Ozawa said.
"The focus of the
first class of the YTTP on providing technical training for a cohort of
young Africans operating in various stages of the cassava value chain,
highlights the connection between these two High 5 priority areas."
Two of the
trainees, Viviane Kacou of Côte d'Ivoire and Oyesiji Funmilayo of
Nigeria, stressed how they would use the opportunity of the training to
enhance their capacities and become role models for other youths in
their respective countries.
No comments:
Post a Comment