The decline of the banana industry in recent years has seriously affected women
and farmers in general. Ninety percent (90%) of the women in the community
were unemployed. Family income was considerably reduced. There was a need for
diversification. In order to get some income, these women became involved in the
production of toloma. Toloma is the second largest crop in the village of Delices
after plantain. Women in Delices have been growing and processing Toloma for
years, however this has been done in a disorganized, disjointed manner.
Moreover, the production of toloma is very labour intensive and time consuming.
With a central, modern facility not only will the labour intensity and processing
time be reduced. It will also improve the quality of the product and help standard
the processing and packaging processes. Further, it will enhance networking
amongst the toloma farmers in the community by bringing the women together.
The overall goal of the project is to improve the quality of life of women and their families, by
enabling them to work comfortably in an improved and organised environment, to produce high
quality toloma for sale in the local and regional markets, as a needed source of income.
The objectives of these projects are
- To create employment and sustainable development for women and others persons
- To develop and preserve the Toloma Industry
- Enhance the socioeconomic status of women and other residents and
- Improve the living conditions and members and residents in general
We endeavour to construct a facility for the production and processing of toloma, which will
enhance the entire process. The facility will also allow women to generate income on a more
regular basis. It will create a healthier environment for work, and reduce the labour intensity of
production. The factory can also become a tourist attraction where visitors would be able to
observe the entire production process. The end product will be packaged and labelled to set
standards, for sale to the local and regional markets.