AS the world celebrates the International Day of the Women (IWD), the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), is pushing for the adoption of new fish smoking technologies by women in the coastline of the Niger Delta.
The Foundation will mark the day on March 14, 2018 in Akure, Ondo State where a practical demonstration of the new smoking technologies will take place.
The event will target 100 women from PIND’s frontline communities (Bayelsa, Edo and Ondo) and States where Niger Delta Youth Empowerment Programme (NDYEP) project is implemented (Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers)
The UN international theme for the 2019 IWD celebration is “Think Equal, Build Smart, and Innovate for Change.”
To amplify the theme, organisations are advised to focus on actions that will promote innovative ways to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly in the areas of technology, social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure.
Developing and influencing gender-responsive innovations according to the UN will accelerate transformative gains for women in the society.
According to Chichi Nnoham-Onyejekwe Knowledge and Communications Manager at PIND, the Foundation has chosen as its theme: “Innovate for Change’’ for 2019 IWD and will be promoting fish smoking technology: Chorkor Oven (CO), and Smoking kiln (SK) as appropriate technologies for women to adopt.
“Innovate for PIND means ‘doing things differently/smartly to increase efficiency, productivity and impacts, “she says.
Nnoham-Onyejekwe explains that PIND will use 2019 IWD to deepen actions on recommendations that have been consistent from previous IWD forums and have strong connections to this theme to ensure that the Foundation is consolidating efforts to promote gender mainstreaming.
“PIND decided to focus on Innovation for Change in technology as this is a major determinant of growth for women farmers.”
Fish smoking is a principal occupation for 80 per cent of women across the coastline of the riverine communities of the Niger Delta.
The CO and SK are technologies designed for fish processors who are mostly women. Women spend hours/days smoking fish with drums which consume firewood, time and expose women to burns and carcinogenic material. Fish smoking technology reduces fuel cost by 40 per cent, saves time by 37 per cent. The CO is made with locally sourced material.
PIND, she says, considered various technologies and renewable energy solutions with the following lenses— an innovative technology that is easily adaptable to women’s economic activities, low cost, energy and time saving, and adaptable to the social/health wellbeing of women.