In order to aid alternative and sustainable means of livelihood amid rising food prices and growing concerns over food security in Nigeria, the Ibese Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has handed over a state-of-the-art garri and fufu processing plant to the Kajola host community in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The facility is expected to support cassava farmers and processors by improving efficiency and expanding income-generating opportunities.
According to the organisation, the project, delivered under the Community Development Agreement (CDA) with its host communities signed in 2022, is a strategic intervention aimed at boosting agricultural value addition, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening livelihoods for rural farmers and women.
The Ibese Plant Director, Mr Ayyagari Subbaraidu, at the commissioning, said, “This project is aimed at improving cassava processing, reducing losses and creating sustainable employment for women and farmers in the community.”
He disclosed that the facility features separate garri and fufu processing units equipped with modern machinery, including a five-tonne-per-day peeling machine, hydraulic presses, frying systems, fermentation basins, solar-powered boreholes and sanitation infrastructure, adding that it will serve as a catalyst for local economic growth by enhancing productivity and supporting small-scale agribusinesses across Kajola and neighbouring communities.
The Plant Director also urged the community and the Project Governance Committee to maintain transparency in the management of the facility to ensure long-term sustainability.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Bolu Owotomo, who was at the unveiling of the project, said it aligns with Governor Dapo Abiodun’s vision of making agriculture a key driver of economic growth through value addition and enterprise development.
The Commissioner disclosed that “over 166,000 farmers, including more than 90,000 cassava farmers, have been registered under the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS) to benefit from government interventions.”
He urged the community to safeguard the facility and assured residents of the continued support of the state government towards agricultural development and food security.
“This processing plant will strengthen the cassava value chain, improve product quality, create jobs and enhance food security while boosting farmers’ incomes,” the Commissioner stated.