1 min. reading

Supporting Food Security in Côte d’Ivoire

CESO has partnered with the National Network of Agro-Transformers of Côte d’Ivoire (RETPACI) to provide assistance with the sanitary quality of processed food products to put on sale. The assistance was aimed at agro-processors, “maquis” (small restaurants specializing in Ivorian and African specialties), street food vendors, small restaurant owners, and food-oriented kiosks in Abidjan.

The training provided by an experienced CESO Volunteer Advisor allowed 255 women and 45 men to increase their awareness of good hygiene rules, the quality of food for sale, consumption and export, and improved food packaging.

According to Mrs. Coulibaly Alimata, President of RETPACI, the support of CESO has been beneficial, and important results have been observed among the women trained:

Transformers have acquired production spaces. They realized that home-based processing does not guarantee the best quality for marketing. They have a better self-esteem, value of the job, creativity, and improved the packaging of their products. Following the training, there is now a willingness of RETPACI to strengthen the capacities of additional agro-processors who could not benefit from the training in Abidjan. Those who have already received the training are already multiplying agents.”