Best known for its cultural activities and palm oil processing, the locality of Yassap-Usine is now committed to ensure food security through the women’s group called “AWANE” involved in cassava production.

Mrs. Elisabeth KOUAKOU, Chairwoman of AWANE group (Yassap plant) located 15km in the department of Dabou talks about the group and the change operated in their daily lives since the launching of WAAPP.

“Our group was established in 2007 and includes 30 women. Upon its creation, several market gardening activities (Tomato, cabbage ...) have been undertaken. Those activities have fallen short of the success expected. Faced with this situation, we decided to suspend our activities. Since the interruption of our activities, only 10 women remained members of the group.

With the launching of WAAPP in 2011, the group decided to join the project in order to resume its activities. We asked the National Agency for Rural Development (ANADER), an extension structure involved in the implementation of WAAPP activities, to provide the group with improved varieties of cassava cuttings.

The BOCOU 1 variety was provided to the group for the management of plot for selected cassava cuttings multiplication/breeding.

With those cuttings, we implemented a first plot of 0.07 hectare given the pressure on land.

On the plot of 0.07 hectare, we harvested 3 tons of cassava tubers. These tubers were sold at 150,000 FCFA and we used the second part of the cuttings to plant a new cassava plot of 0.35 hectares.Our children are enrolled in a school located 3 km from Yassap-usine. The income generated from the first cassava plot allowed us to contribute up to 27,000 FCFA for the operation of the school canteen. Thanks to this contribution, our children received their lunch during the school year.

We are also able to meet our needs and often support our husbands financially.

We can now say that WAAPP contributed to restore the spirit of hope in our group. We will soon harvest the second plot. Besides, we are already getting ready to deliver an order of cassava cuttings for 3 hectares that will bring us 150,000 FCFA. Moreover, we requested ANADER to provide us with training on cassava processing into attiéké. This training is eagerly awaited by the members of the group as it will help us better increase the profitability our plots.”