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Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies (JETERAPS) (Vol 1 No 1)
| Abstract: Cassava (ManihotesculentaCrantz) food products are the cheapest, popular, fermented, processed and commonly consumed food products at household level in Nigeria. Demand for cassava food products is increasing in south-west Nigeria markets because of recent economic recession in both urban and rural communities. However, meeting the growing demand would not only require a transformation for subsistence but importantly for food safety in production and consumption. Associated with the processing and consumption of cassava products are series of problems and constraints among which are the variable quality of the end products and poor shelf life as well as Food borne Disease (FBD) and malnutrition. The health effects, as well as the economic costs, of unsafe foods are eminent and the impact on health, trade, and development is considered enormous as cases of FBD and malnutrition cases occur each year costing billions of naira. These have been challenging for rural women because the majority of them handling cassava food products do not have the required food safety skills. It is here that capacity building comes in for whoever is handling the food products as different knowledge, skills and attitudes are required. Most of these issues may be addressed by empowering rural women, who are major downstream cassava food processors supplying consumers in both rural and urban areas, with the necessary skills through extension services. This presentation outlines the summary ofthe research on ways of promoting capacity building for food safety in cassava food products, aims at contribution of extension activities in order to identify the training needs incapacitating rural women in cassava food processing, marketing and consumption, as well, highlights the policy implications for further improvement in safety measures taken in cassava food products. It was observed that in the three identified cassava food products, the processing stages were not hygienic as the cassava paste at the final stage for sales were packaged or stored in not so clean nylon, fiber sacks or bags and that there are often delays in processing the roots. One of the main conclusions is that extension services in south-west Nigeria are weak and inadequate. It is recommended that a coordinated and flexible down-up community approach to Rural Development and Extension is required to help rural women achieve quality and safe food productivity and improved household welfare. |
| Keywords: Capacity Building, Extension Services, Cassava Food Products, Food Safety, Rural Women |
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