Burkina Faso/SNC 2024: UNFPA strengthens the culinary skills of 50 women
As part of its project to develop the resilience of women and young people to the effects of climate change, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) organized a capacity-building workshop on April 26, 2024 in Bobo-Dioulasso for 50 women taking part in the culinary arts competition for the 21st edition of the Semaine nationale de la culture (SNC).
Several women from different regions of Burkina Faso are present at SNC 2024, to exhibit their creations in the culinary arts category. UNFPA has selected 50 of them to build their capacity in the development and processing of non-timber forest products, with a view to preserving the environment.
According to UNFPA's acting representative in Burkina Faso, Tidiane Beng, this activity is of the utmost importance, in that it helps to strengthen the resilience of the women taking part in the culinary arts competition at SNC 2024. "These women who have been chosen to be trained could spread out in their zones and replicate these trainings. They will thus be able to improve productivity in the various value chains of forest products and natural resource management", said Mr. Beng.
For the Minister for Solidarity, Gender and the Family, Nandy Somé/ Diallo, this capacity-building will enable the fifty or so women to acquire markets nationally and even in the sub-region. "Our country abounds in a wide variety of non-timber forest products, and most women in rural areas - practically more than 43% - survive thanks to the sale of these products," declared Minister Somé. These women, who will be competing for the Grand Prix National des Arts et des Lettres (GPNAL), are now equipped to process these products without damaging the environment. "This activity is being organized on the eve of the SNC. It's a first, so it's a great innovation. At the Ministry level, our objective is indeed to participate in the empowerment of women", added Ms. Somé.
Bibata Sanogo, one of the beneficiaries from Orodara, said: "I'm very happy. Since I joined the SNC, I've never taken part in a training course of this kind. There are certain practices we were doing that were not recommended. The training enabled her to learn how to better process her products and market them for maximum profit. She thanked UNFPA for this opportunity.
Like Ms. Sanogo, restaurateur Catherine Soulama, from the Cascades region, was delighted to have taken part in the workshop. "I was competing in the 'heavy dishes' category. I used to come to the competition but I wasn't 100% prepared. With this training, my knowledge is better reinforced and I'm ready to go and conquer the first prize", she declared. According to her, during the workshop, particular emphasis was placed on hygiene and the presentation of dishes. This will give them a head start over the other candidates. The beneficiaries unanimously expressed the wish that this capacity-building should be instituted for each edition of the Semaine nationale de la culture (SNC).
As a reminder, the 21st edition of the SNC is being held in Bobo-Dioulasso from April 27 to May 4, under the theme "Culture, historical memory and patriotic surge for a new Burkina".
Source: lefaso.net/
