Le IITA-led Zero Hunger Project took a significant step towards bridging Nigeria’s nutrition gap by conducting a Training of Trainers (ToT) exercise for 29 youth and 27 adults in Ebonyi State from 29 March to 3 April. The 56 participants (four males and 52 females) comprised rice processors, extension officers, restaurant owners, Ebonyi State University staff, women from the Home-grown School Feeding Program, private sector operators (Strategic Seed Limited), staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and community leaders. The training strengthened their capacity in nutrition and value addition for rice diversification and wealth creation.
The main objective of the exercise was to develop the capacities of the national system, private sector, processors, and food vendors in food nutrition and diversity and agripreneurship in the rice value chain. This aims to reduce hunger and promote gluten-free, cheaper, readily available flour for nutritious food.
Other objectives include promoting the inclusion of rice flour as a replacement for wheat to reduce the massive importation of wheat flour and create a demand-driven supply of rice flour and job opportunities.
The five-day intensive training gave an overview of rice as a multipurpose crop. The participants developed fourteen products from rice, including high-quality rice flour, rice pancake, egg rolls and buns, rice cocktail bites, rice threads, rice chin-chin, cake, butter cookies, rice coconut biscuits, cocoa biscuits, shortbread sweetened biscuits, ginger biscuits, and rice milk.
The ToT sessions included the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, Ebonyi State University, Prof. Folusho David-Abraham; the Head of Agricultural Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Ede Chukwuka; Igwe’s wife from Izi clan, Her Royal Majesty Nwonwumaru Roseline; and Home-grown School Feeding Program staff working on Zero Hunger project intervention, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources staff, and extension agents cutting across all the senatorial districts of Ebonyi State. The participants were also trained on the basics of agri-business management to cut product costs.
During the interview, the trainees expressed their delight and readiness to use the knowledge in their businesses and official duties and step down the knowledge to their constituents. They were given a starter pack and will be further supported to train 60 people each.
Contributed by the Zero Hunger Project Team
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