(Online translation) A capacity-building workshop for women processors of fishery, cereal, fruit, and vegetable products was held on November 19 in Foundiougne. This activity, which is part of an effort to professionalize and modernize processing techniques, allowed participants to discover new entrepreneurial methods suited to local realities and the demands of the current market.
The activity brought together women from various sectors: fish processing, fruit and vegetable value addition, local cereal production, among others. The aim was to promote the adoption of innovative entrepreneurial techniques and to improve their practices in processing fish products, fruits, vegetables, and cereals. The workshop also fits into a long-term vision, which is to create a network of women processors and young entrepreneurs capable of innovating, cooperating, and contributing to food sovereignty and the revitalization of local economies, while respecting the principles of environmental sustainability and social justice.
Through practical sessions, demonstrations, and exchanges of experiences, the participants learned to adopt modern and eco-friendly techniques for processing and preserving fishery, fruit, vegetable, and cereal products; approaches for sustainable and inclusive management; as well as green marketing techniques and networking for community initiatives.
Modernized processing techniques
During the training, the participants mastered several improved processing techniques that will enable them to offer safer, more competitive products that meet market requirements, including:
· Improved drying, ensuring better preservation of the products.
· Hygienic salting and smoking, using methods that limit health risks.
· Preservation through acidification, to extend the shelf life of processed products.
The workshop also covered quality, hygiene, and compliance practices, techniques to improve their ability to manage and develop their activities, and the FRA (Manufacturing Authorization) procedure. These approaches, now well mastered, enable women to efficiently organize and control each step of their processing chain and strengthen their competitiveness.
Concrete impacts on know-how and confidence
Among the participants is Mrs. Ndeye Sylla. This cereal processor fully illustrates the impact of the workshop. Thanks to the new skills she acquired, she says she now better controls the quality of her products and more fully recognizes the value of her expertise. She emphasizes that this training truly “propelled her to a higher level,” boosting her confidence and ambition to develop her business.
Her experience illustrates the ambition of CRADESC and its partner Womin to provide concrete tools that enable rural women to improve their market position, increase their income, and strengthen their economic autonomy.
