Ponmo Summit 2023 : discouraging the consumption of animal hides.

 The race to revive the leather industry is on and a multifaceted approach is needed to tap into the $300 billion dollars revenue opportunities in the leather value chain.

 Presently 88% of animal hides in Nigeria is processed as food, the popular Ponmo while only 12% is available for the leather industry.

The diversification of the economy by promoting industrialization in other sectors can be achieved if more attention is given to the leather value chain. A policy to increase in the proportion of animal hides available for the leather industry is a good place to start the campaign to discourage the consumption of ponmo.

The love for ponmo is depriving us of revenue from foreign investment through trading of leather goods and accessories as well as stifling growth of the leather industry. The leather value chain is  enormous with the capacity to generate over 500,000 jobs thereby eliminating unemployment as well as reducing poverty level.

  The questions we should ask now are : how can we get more animal hides for leather production? how can we tap into this huge Forex earnings? what can we do to discourage the eating of these hides? what incentives can be given to ponmo processors//dealers so that hides will move out of food chain to leather chain? 

 These answers will form a pathway for the desired industrialization drive as well as promotion of the leather value chain as discussed at the ponmo summit 2023.

 How can the consumption of hides  be discouraged?  create an awareness about the health implications of ponmo. It is no news that eating ponmo has been linked to cancer, liver and kidney disease e.t.c

Do you know that ponmo is fried using animal fat called tallow?

Do you know the processors reuse these oils severally without discarding ?

Do you know that the particles in the oil from fried ponmo are not drained out,increasing the possibility of poisoning due to bacteria growth?

 Studies have shown that animal fat is rich in  saturated fat which can cause heart disease as well as obesity. Further studies has shown that oils that foams/bubbles or has changed color should not be reused and that reusing oil results in release of free radicals in the body causing inflammations and cancer.     The free radicals released in the body has also been linked to central nervous toxicity

  Look at the oil used for frying ponmo.

Animal fat .

 Oil used for frying the ponmo.

The state of oil at the start of the processing the next  day.

More ponmo stories....

Ponmo vs leather : The multi- billion dollar leather industry.

 

The leather value chain is a billion dollar industry within the multi- billion dollar  red meat value chain. Bovine leather is an essential part of the multi billion dollar industry.By working together, we can create innovative solutions to drive the leather sector forward. 

 An effective policy could inspire the widespread use of leather in place of other materials. Once established, it could create a new stream of revenue while creating sustainable jobs in tanneries and related industries.

The development of the leather value chain will create a new revenue stream as well as increase participation in the red meat value chain. The leather value chain is comprised of many different players including tanneries, tannery owners, leather manufacturers, and retailers. Each player has a  role in creating and maintaining this valuable chain.

The leather industry as at 2019 was worth 17 billion but now its about 300 billion dollars.

 Ponmo vs leather : lets begin

Management practices in snail rearing.

The soil must be moistened but not water-logged but deep enough so that the snails can burrow and lay eggs. The management of hatchling are different and should be handled with care. The pen must be in a dark place shielded from the sun,as exposure to sun at this time will kill them. The feeding is done in the dark as well,because moving out to sunny zones to get the feed will result in their death . 

They need more calcium at this level,failure to provide will result in slow growth and development. The best way to ensure they have this supplement is to grind the calcium source e.g chalk ,mix in water and spray the hatchlings directly. 

The uptake of the calcium by absorption gives a 100% assurance that each hatchling has a portion. 

 Cleaning of the snail is also important,this is done by soaking a piece of clean cloth or foam in water and gently wiping the shell clean. 

Handling with care is important as rough handling can lead to cracked shells and subsequent death of the snails. This cleaning can be done on a 2 weeks interval basis especially when changing soil. Feeding time Snails exploring their pen

The water hyacinth and the girl-child education..

The role of women in agriculture and nation building cannot be overemphasized.Majority of food production,from planting to processing, and sales are handled by the women.The women mostly take their girl -child to the farm at a very tender age because of the belief that the boys should be educated instead. In developing countries where they know the value of education but are financially constrained,still opt to fund the education of the boys.The number of boys in school out-way the number of girls,not only because of lack of funds, but also because of certain cultures that restricts girls during their monthly cycle. Girls miss school because of pain, ill heath and their monthly cycle. Girls in poor nation miss school basically because they lack the resources to buy sanitary towels,and they rather stay at home than be seen dripping blood.The use of rags,old clothes and papers are not only unhygienic but also dangerous.These are usually sources of infection because use and disposal expose them to health risk. The lack of running water or other sources of water makes the period so difficult,they will rather sit still in a carved up hole. Water hyacinth is a source of relief for the girls,as it not only provides means of livelihood for the parents,but keep them in school by production of durable super absorbent sanitary towels. Sanitary pads can be made from water hyacinth,these are made from a prototype and the production outfit is set up as a cottage industry.This employs the women in the community and also keeps the girls in school. Paper made from the water hyacinth can be used for exercise books that are easily accessible to the children. The Water Hyacinth Sanitary Pad is biodegradable sanitary pads out , the production of a locally made pad provides girls and women a low cost, biodegradable product that sustains income-generating jobs and provides girls with access to necessary personal hygiene products, with the goal of breaking the stigma around menstruation and keep girls in school. The jani pad is the product name of the pad made from water hyacinth,they are working with village volunteers to help women and girls.

AGRIBUSINESS: CROWDFUNDING FOR AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS.

Agriculture is the way to feed the over growing population and also increase revenue generation in various nations. There are various aspects of agriculture,that can be harnessed to make profit and ensure economic growth. Agriculture will not only provide food but also massive employment,thus turning an unemployed person to an employer. The major constraint for these startups is funding, with the astronomical interest rates, a break-even point is not feasible,thus ending the dream of a startup. There is a new way to finance projects without and hassle and cut-throat interest rates and it even gives rooms for mergers and partnerships before you start off and yes, its based on OPM. The OPM (other people's money), slogan made popular by Robert Kiyosaki is the basis of crowdfunding . This has worked in various industries and also works in agriculture; see the video. Crowdfunding , a paradigm shift in agriculture.Join the train and start the agribusiness today!!!

IMPROVING NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY.

A walk through the annual Kerala seedfest, in the sultry heat of India’s Western Ghats, is like a walk through a proverbial garden of Eden; okra the size of a hand; deep purple coloured runner beans; 26 varieties of chillies from one village alone. The size and colours of multiple bananas on offer here make a mockery of the fact that your average supermarket sells just one type. With women and men standing proudly alongside their produce, this celebration of seeds and biodiversity is the future of farming: it is abundant, resilient and most importantly, smallholder led. Read more; http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/nov/11/how-a-successful-collective-of-smallholder-farmers-in-india-is-showing-the-way?CMP=ema-1702&CMP=