‘How youths can cash in on govt’s school-feeding programme

To leverage on the Federal Government’s home-grown school feeding scheme, youths must explore opportunities in bio-fortified crops, such as vitamin A cassava and vitamin A maize, which have been integrated into the programme, in producing high-in-demand nutritious staples.

Country Manager of HarvestPlus Nigeria, Dr. Paul Ilona, made the submission at the pro-vitamin A Cassava pastry training for women in pastry business, sponsored by United Kingdom’s Department of International Development (DFID) Market Development for the Niger Delta (MADE) in partnership with HarvestPlus partners in Akwa Ibom.

In a statement by HarvestPlus’ Communication Officer, Ikechukwu Onyewuchi, Dr. Ilona was quoted as saying it was unfortunate that the average child mortality in Nigeria is 2300 everyday while 145 women die at child birth, noting that every child and pregnant woman has the right to live.

“We must work to achieve that. Interestingly, we are ensuring that you make substantial income while trying to save lives. Every business must enjoy one form of monopoly or the other, and this may come in terms of quality of products, which would, in the long run, stand you out. Without training, you will follow the bandwagon of failures. DFID-MADE does not want that, hence the investment in this training. Youths must be innovative and work hard to be successful,” Ilona said.

He continued, “If youths buy into the school-feeding programme, they will become pioneers because a new market would be open to them.
Another big advantage that you would be getting from the type of products you are producing is that they have been classified as low-glycemic index foods. It means that unlike other biscuits, those who have diabetes can take these products. The research on this has been completed and the studies published.”

He added that youths in Oyo State have invested in confectionaries, and that on the average, they make a net return of N15 per sachet, a model which ensured that the business is economically viable.”

On her part, Gender Officer, MADE, Unyime Johnson said the improved cassava variety has contributed immensely in uplifting households and providing a means of livelihood to many.

She said: “The vitamin Cassava has helped many people in the state and we are bringing together bakers in top hotels in the state to take them on how to make the best of the flour produced from the improved product. They would help in evangelizing the benefit of the product to others.”