By Chigozie Uzosike
The women of Emeke Agbala in Owerri North local government of Imo State have been urged to grow within their farms, home garden and premises, process and also consume biofortified Vitamin A foods for their heathy living, and that of their households.
Speaking during a capacity building for women, organised at Emeke Agbala, by X-GEM’s Group in conjunction with Foundation for Livelihood Advancement, the training which empowered over 50 rural women with knowledge on how to nurse vegetable seeds, and plant biofortified with Vitamin A cassava, maize and orange sweet fresh patato (OSFP) for nutritional value.
The X-Gem Seeds Manager, Nkwocha Chinonso Elizabeth, who spoke on Good Agronomy Practices for vegetables and ttstaple crops urged the women to always plant vegetable seeds for nutritional benefits of their households.
Continuing, Nkwocha informed the community women to make consumption of vitamin A enriched foods compulsory so that they can live healthy.
In another presentation, the Program Director, Foundation for Livelihood Advancement, Elder Kenneth Amogu posited that if families avoid intake of genetically modified crops/foods and learn to consume biofortified with Vitamin A foods grown and processed by them, the constant sickness and ailments that weakens their immune system would have been combatted. He urged nursing mothers to always breastfeed their little babies very well and feed them with Biofortified with Vitamin A foods after their exclusive breastfeeding period.
Regional Sales manager at X-Gem’s Global Limited, Adaugo Obioma Miriam, the Project Development Manager, Cynthia Akahibe and X-Gem Global Manager, Ebele Cynthia Uche took the women through different practical styles of preparing nutrient rich snacks and confectionery that can form part of the children and Adult’s meal packs, and urged them to take time to prepare same for their homes, while encouraging the women to reduce intake of canned foods and consume more of naturally produced foods.
In their comments, two participants, Mrs Asonye Akunna and Mrs Vivian Ajaero said that the absence of knowledge leads to destruction, stressing that X-Gem Groups has opened their eyes to some natural foods that they have neglected before. They noted that they have learned about biofortified Vitamin A foods and that they would henceforth begin to grow, process and consume them especially using every available space in their homes for nursing and planting of rich in nutrient crops, especially tomatoes, onions and cucumbers.
The participants went through production of Combo bits, combo strips and Chin Chin using the High Quality Vitamin A Cassava flour (HQCF).
