International Day of Rural Women and Food celebrated in Katogo
“Rural women sustain nature for our collective future” is the theme of this year’s 2024 celebration of rural women. A theme that immediately highlights the importance of rural women in safeguarding our environment. It is this primordial role that the General Secretariat and National Office of INADES-Formation in Côte d’Ivoire celebrated with the people of Kaktogo. The village of Katogo is a sub-prefecture in the department of M’Bengue, Poro region, in the north of the country. It is just a few kilometers from Mali.
It was with enthusiasm and joy that the women, young people and men of this village welcomed the INADES-Formation delegation who had come to celebrate rural women and World Food Day with them. INADES-Formation wanted to kill two birds with one stone by simultaneously celebrating these two days, which demonstrate the importance of rural women in our societies, with their undeniable role in feeding families.
The event took place over two days, from Friday November 15 to Saturday November 16, 2024, with a program featuring awareness-raising on the dangers of synthetic chemical pesticides, training in the production of organic fertilizers, notably Bokashi, as well as soccer matches, a culinary competition and an official celebration ceremony.
All these activities took place in the presence of the Katogo sub-prefect, the village chief, the president of the youth association and the president of the women’s association, and the principal of the Katogo high school, Mr SOUMAHORO NAMORY, who made his school available for the activity.
An awareness-raising session on the dangers of synthetic chemical pesticides
The awareness-raising session on the dangers of using synthetic chemical pesticides in agriculture, held on Friday November 15, was chaired by Mr. CHOGBO Djoman Joseph, Sub-Prefect of Katogo. In his speech, he thanked INADES-Formation for these useful actions in the sub-prefecture. He invited his constituents to follow INADES-Formation’s teaching with attention, because it is possible to farm differently and sustainably, while preserving health and the environment.
Afterwards, the Director of INADES-Formation Côte d’Ivoire thanked the Sub-Prefect for his involvement in the organization of this activity. She explained the reason for INADES-Formation’s presence: to raise awareness of the dangers of using PCS in agriculture because, she said, “experience has shown over time that the use of these products destroys the soil, pollutes the water and poses a health threat to both producers and consumers. If we want things to change, everyone has to change at their own level”.
Manassé NSHIMIYIMANA, Advocacy Officer at INADES-Formation’s General Secretariat, will not deny this. On the contrary, he reinforced the message of the Conscience AlimenTERRE campaign, insisting on the urgency to act and encouraging women and men to abandon the use of PCS, because, he says, “our planet is in danger”.
After these opening speeches, it was time for the awareness-raising session itself, led by Mr. Asseman Parfait. Using images and video, he explained the harmful consequences of these products on human health, nature, biodiversity and the environment. Participants heard first-hand accounts of pesticide poisoning in Côte d’Ivoire.
The question on everyone’s lips and in everyone’s thoughts is: what can we do, given that crop development is now dependent on these synthetic inputs? The answer is given by the trainer, who proposes viable and effective natural alternatives, less costly and above all not harmful. Essentially, we’re talking about Bokashi, an organic input based on natural elements available all around us.
Training men and women to produce organic fertilizer
The practical bokashi production training that followed the awareness-raising session enabled participants to see that the elements of production are truly within their grasp.
After this educational morning, which drew over a hundred people, the Rural Women’s Day festivities got underway in the afternoon with two soccer matches on the village field, which delighted the people of Katogo. In front of a massive and jubilant crowd, the first women’s match pitted the local civil servants against the young pupils of Katogo high school, and saw the victory of the women’s civil servant team. The second match pitted elements of the defense and security forces of all corps against the village youth, and was won by the defense forces.
These moments brightened up the village so much that everyone expressed a desire to relive them.
Saturday, a day of festivities
At first light on Saturday November 16, the village began to bustle with activity as it hosted the official celebration of rural women. Women and young people gathered at the Lycée de Katogo, which once again played host to the day’s festivities.
The women’s associations, who turned out in large numbers, entertained the public with song and dance, while the candidates in the culinary competition got busy in the kitchen.
Six (6) local dishes were presented by the 6 candidates. Dishes based on locally-produced sovereignty foodstuffs, notably local rice, fonio, sorghum and corn, which the jury was delighted to taste. The jury declared candidate n° 5 the winner of the culinary competition, with her dish of sorghum tô.
Speeches and awards were the este of the day.
All teams and participants in the culinary competition were rewarded with special prizes for the winners.
Sub-Prefect presents prize to winner of culinary competition
INADES-Formation also donated equipment to the village to enable them to continue producing Bokashi. The Director of INADES-Formation Côte d’Ivoire urged the women to organize and unite in order to benefit from INADES-Formation’s support. Support in the production, processing and marketing of sovereignty foodstuffs, notably sorghum and millet.
The women’s president, Mme Karidjata Konaté, speaking on behalf of the women, expressed her satisfaction with this initiative, which has enabled them to learn many things, including that synthetic chemical pesticides are a danger to their families, and that they themselves can produce a non-harmful fertilizer. She was pleased that the women were being put forward and that their efforts were being recognized.
The celebration of rural women in Katogo ended with the promise that INADES-Formation would be back to support the women and accompany them if they so wished.
Communication department
General Secretariat
