Abeokuta — A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Sustainable Livelihoods and Development Network for Africa (SLIDEN Africa), has begun the process of empowering no less than 3,600 cassava processors as part of its efforts to alleviate poverty among the peasants.

Under the arrangement, which is being sponsored by the World Bank and the University of Agriculture Micro Finance Bank, SLIDEN Africa also hopes to touch the lives of no less than 600 goat farmers, with the prospect of raising their income per annum to the tune of $300.

Speaking at a one-day workshop on "Feeding Dried Cassava waste to local goats; how to build an efficient Concrete Sundrying platform (ECSDP) and Accessing Micro-credit to build the platform," at the training of 12 extension agents drawn from the Ogun State Agricultural Development Programmes (OGADEP) in Abeokuta.

, Ogun State capital on Tuesday, the Team Leader of DM2008, Dr. Kola Adebayo, said the programme is also meant to reduce the release of carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere through the burning of cassava peels.

Adebayo, who informed that the team's proposal was the first to be chosen among one hundred short-listed proposals in Washington DC by the World Bank, added that the drying platform was also aimed at building a synergy between the cassava processor and goats farmers "for the over all purpose of improving their living standard."

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the programme coordinator of the NGO, Ms. Dayo Olowu, excited the participants, which also include the supervisors and subject matter specialists that soft loans are obtainable from the SLIDEN Africa through her partnership with UNAAB Micro-Finance Bank.

She added that the "loan is soft with administrative charges of 10 percent lending rates as against the 20-22 percent being charged by banks in a non-middle man situation," even as he said prompt repayment would allow the beneficiary processor and goats farmers to access more of such funds.

Olowu added that the programme is not meant to start-off new farmers or processors but to enhance the production capacity of the already existing ones, "who are not below the age of 35 because we belief that people in the category must have formed an idea of what they want in life."

The pilot scheme for the feeding of goats with dried cassava peels, would cover twelve centers, Adekoya said, disclosing that the release of $170,000 by the Bank to finance the twenty-four month scheme is part of "the corporate social responsibility of the bank."

In his paper at the seminar chaired by the Dean of Agricultural Management and Development (COLAMRUD), Professor Samson Olusegun Apantaku one of the resource persons, Dr. Shamsideen Iposu, said feeding goats with 30 percent of dried cassava peels, 35 percent of guinea grass and another five per cent of Gliricidia Sepium would make the goats to gain a daily weight of 66.3g, which, according to him was reasonable in the sub-Sahara Africa.