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Chibuzor Emejor
The UN Women in partnership with TY Danjuma Foundation, has launched a new Agro-Processing Centre in Great Sheda Community, Kwali Area Council, Abuja, with the aim of improving the livelihoods of rural women and enhance their economic opportunities.
The Agro-Processing Centre is equipped with a cassava peeling and grinding machine designed to significantly reduce the time and labour required for processing cassava into Akpu, a staple food and important source of income for many women in the community.
For years, women in Great Sheda have relied on manual methods of peeling and grinding cassava, a process that is physically demanding and time-consuming.
The introduction of the new machine would ease this burden, increase productivity, improve processing efficiency, and enable women to dedicate more time to other income generating and productive activities.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts by UN Women and the TY Danjuma Foundation to advance women’s economic empowerment, strengthen rural livelihoods, and create sustainable pathways for women to participate fully in local economic development.
Speaking at the launch, Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighted the importance of investing in rural women’s economic empowerment.
“Today, we are investing in not only in a machine; we are investing in the time, productivity, and economic potential of rural women.
“By reducing the burden of manual cassava processing, this Agro-Processing Centre will enable women to increase their earnings, pursue other productive opportunities, and strengthen their contribution to the economic development of their families and communities.”
The Chair of the TY Danjuma Foundation, Ms. Hannatu Gentles, also reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to improving the lives of underserved communities through strategic investments in education, health, and economic empowerment.
“We believe in putting economic power directly into the hands of women, the true backbone of our rural economy.
The TY Danjuma Foundation is deeply committed to supporting communities that need it most, and we are confident in the capacity of the women of the Akpu Women Association to use this facility to grow their businesses and build better futures for their families.”
The Director-General, Mariam Babangida Centre, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi also noted that “when women who have laboured with their hands for decades are empowered with the right tools, they do not only process cassava — they strengthen food security, economic growth, and community resilience.”
Community members welcomed the intervention, describing it as a transformative investment that will improve productivity, increase household incomes, and contribute to the overall development of the community.
The Agro-Processing Centre is expected to serve women processors across Sheda and surrounding communities, creating opportunities for increased earnings, improved food processing practices, and stronger local economic growth.
Through strategic partnerships and targeted investments in women’s livelihoods, UN Women and the TY Danjuma Foundation continue to support efforts that empower women as key drivers of economic development, food security, and community resilience.