In a bid to foster the town and gown relations and community extension services, the Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC), of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has embarked on the training of grassroots’ farmers in the Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State on High Quality Cassava Flour utilisation in bread and snacks production. The programme, an initiative of Zero Hunger Organisation in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan; FUNAAB; and Grassroot Movement; was held at St. Saviour Apostolic Church, Olorunsogo, Abeokuta. The programme is aimed “at giving voice to the voiceless and making the son of nobody to be somebody without knowing anybody in the country through training on how to add value to their farm produce, especially cassava”.
The Director of AMREC, Prof. Olalekan Olaoye said that cassava “is now a cash crop in the country with many values people can tap into”. He urged participants to be attentive, to benefit immensely from the programme so as to better their life and create work opportunities for others, even as he thanked the organisers and partners of the programme. On his part, Dr. Mathew Orubu, the National Coordinator of Grassroot Movement of Africa said the programme “is timely and people need to come and put resources together, to make food production effective and available for masses in Africa and the world at large”. He added that they are non-governmental organisation that caters for people’s needs, irrespective of their tribe and religion by engendering good leadership, provide job opportunities, and train entrepreneurs through seminars, to make them independent.