United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has provided an assistance package to boost the productive capacity of women engaged in gari-processing at Kenyase Number Three in the Asutifi North District and transform their lives.

This involved the presentation of cash of GH?20,000.00 and eight pieces of “Gari Elephant” – energy efficient and environmentally-friendly cook stoves.

Mr. Bossman Owusu, UNDP’s Communications Analyst, said the goal was to help strengthen community-level resilience and promote livelihood opportunities.

Gari, made from cassava, has been an important staple in many Ghanaian households and its production gives valuable income to tens of thousands of rural households, across the cassava-growing areas.

Women, who dominate the final step in gari production – frying, have been complaining of low productivity, high firewood usage, burns and health complications from exposure to smoke, and this is what the UNDP’s support seeks to address.

UNDP Sustainable Development Specialist, Paolo Dalla Stella, said it was proud to be associated with the drive to reduce firewood usage, improve labor and productivity.

“We are very happy to partner Burro (manufacturers of the cook stoves), the Energy Commission, Food and Agriculture Ministry and the Asutifi North District Assembly to help make this happen.”

“We are hopeful others will come on board to help accelerate adoption of the improved cook stoves in more areas.”

Dora Sunkwa, a member of the Kenyase Cassava Processing Association, indicated that gari processing was the main source of income for women in the community “but frying has been a serious burden for us”.

She said they were happy that the burden could be tremendously reduced with the ‘gari Elephants’, and that “it will certainly change our fortunes.”

Gari-producers in the town fortify the carbohydrate with soya-beans, margarine and salt to boost both its nutritional and market value.

Odeneho Baffour Awuah, Omanhene of Kenyase Number Three, said they were grateful for the gesture and pledged to ensure that the stoves were properly handled.