Model Program for the Development and Dissemination of Appropriate Cereal Processing Technologies for Rural Women in Sub-Sahara Africa (UNIDO)
Project / Programme Summary

I. Basic data - Model Programme for the Development and Dissemination of Appropriate Cereal Processing Technologies for Rural Women in Sub-Sahara Africa-pilot project

Sector(s): agro-related industry - food and cereal processing
Donor country / organization: IFAD, UNDP and UNIDO XA
Other donors / organizations involved:
Beneficiary countries / regions: Regional Africa (Mali and Burkina Faso)
Implementing agencies in beneficiary countries / regions:
Ministry of Industry (Mali) project headquarters in Bamako.
Duration: 5 years
Starting Date: 1993
Project / Program budget: US$ 2.5 million (cost sharing with IFAD, UNDP Mali, UNIDO)
Finance / Type of cooperation: technical cooperation

II. Project / program description

  • Introduction of an affordable multi-function technology (multi-purpose platform) to facilitate dehulling, milling and further processing of basic grains and oil seeds and providing a power source for distribution of water.
  • "Multi-purpose platforms" installed in the villages by extending the use of dehuller and milling engine as a power source for other various kinds of activities such as battery recharging, pumping and distribution of water, operation of oil presses for sea butter/groundnuts or pourghere. Oil extracted from pourghere to be used as fuel in simple diesel engines, the promotion of environmentally sound technologies.
  1. Objectives
    • to alleviate the constraints of women in rural village communities in processing cereals and ago-products and to provide them with viable income opportunities which are not readily available in the rural areas;
    • to establish a community-level support services, e.g., maintenance and repair, basic skill training in simple management of the platform including literacy and numeracy, technical training, and rural credit;
    • to upgrade the skill of rural women in generating income by using the platform and to take up entrepreneurial activities.
  2. Activities / contents
    • Assessment of the needs and requirements for women in the village communities for the introduction of a platform.
    • Capacity building (training) for women as well as village community on the community management, management of platform including technical and maintenance training, etc.
    • Networking with support services available locally and surrounding towns.
  3. Expected outcomes / impacts
    • Poverty alleviation and employment generation: by introducing platforms, various related activities have been implemented fostering the emergence of other services and employment opportunities in the non-agriculture sector.
    • Transfer of appropriate technology with environmentally sound equipment
    • Skill upgrading of rural women in management and entrepreneurial endeavour;
    • Strengthened rural local community to provide support to village women in operation, maintenance, and management of platforms.
  4. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
    The project if designed to promote regional development in the area of agro-related industry contributing to poverty alleviation and address cross cutting issues of gender mainstreaming and capacity-building.

III. Contact point:

Ms. A. Fujino, IPC/PSD

(End)


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