Staff of the College took education to the streets recently to tutor the host community on hygienic food production and modern farming techniques. The one-day sensitization programme was held for women farmers in Ezira community in Orumba South LGA, Anambra State by the Department of Agriculture of the College, in collaboration with Anambra State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP).
The Provost, Prof. T.O. Okoli, who flagged off the training, expressed optimism that the extension programme would equip the participants with relevant knowledge needed for hygienic food processing and reduce incidence of high mortality from consumption of poisonous food in rural communities. She said the exercise was part of the corporate social responsibility of the College to the host community, geared to empowering them with practical knowledge of modern farming to boost food production and address food insecurity threatening the country.
Okoli, who is a Professor of Vocational Agricultural Education, 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 informed the community of the benefits of cassava production, noting that poverty and unemployment would be reduced drastically if farmers adopt modern farming techniques for higher crop yield.
The Provost, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Provost, Dr ThankGod Nzeribe, noted that the exercise targeted women farmers in the rural community to sharpen their skills and educate them on new methods of farming. She commended the Agric Department of the College for the innovative idea, while observing that the programme would educate the women in healthy garri processing, organic farming, use of improved varieties of crops, pest control, best storage practices, among others.
Prof Okoli bemoaned the increasing death rate in the society, 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 and noted with dismay that some people cook and eat their local ‘abacha’ delicacy the same day it was processed without allowing the necessary fermentation. She advised participants to spread the knowledge gained from the programme to local farmers in the village to improve the life expectancy among rural dwellers.
Also speaking, the Dean, School of Agriculture and Home Economics , FCE(T) Umunze, Dr. M.C Nwike, said the programme was meant to educate rural farmers on modern ways of food processing in order to enhance farm production and healthy living of the final consumers.
He said the programme 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.
Speaking further, Dr. Nwike defined the mandate of the exercise as follows: 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, such community service was required of every student of the Department of Agriculture in the College as practical agricultural extension, which is supposed to be a criteria for graduation.
Nwike said with the help of ADP who have direct contact with the farmers in rural area, the Agric Department FCE(T) Umunze was able to get to the farmers. He applauded the ADP, Anambra State for their efforts and co-operation towards making the programme a success.
Speaking on the topic “steps in production of high quality garri”, and “dangers in cooking foi foi with polythene material, Oscar Ezulike Victor, a student of the department of Agriculture FCE(T) Umunze said polythene which some foi foi sellers use to wrap foi foi while cooking is made is made from petroleum waste and it contains cyanide poison which can cause cancer, kidney failure, bad vision and some other deadly diseases.
She advised women to go back to the olden days of cooking and fermenting cassava. According to her, it is unhealthy and dangerous to cook foi with polythene material.
As part of the sensitization programme, the Head of Department, Agricultural Department, Dr. Stella Ofodile, engaged participants in an interactive session. She noted the different varieties and species of cassava planted in the area and the challenges associated with cassava farming in the area. She therefore used the opportunity to advertise the programmes run in the College and informed the villagers of an available scholarship programme for students in the Department of Agric.
In her presentation, Ijeoma Ejeanobi, a staff in Agric department FCE(T) Umunze with interest in organic agriculture, discussed the health benefits of using organic agriculture in food processing, instead of chemicals.
Responding on behalf of other participants, the Home Women leader in Ezira, Mrs Ogonna Nwafor, thanked the College for bringing the educative programme to the community. She advised her fellow women to adhere to the teachings and instructions for healthy living. She further pleaded that the programme should be organised at regular intervals for greater impact.
