Canadian development organization, CUSO International, recently commissioned farine processing facilities in two villages in the North Rupununi.
The Wowetta Village facility in North Rupununi was commissioned on October 26, 2018, while the Moco Moco village facility in central Rupununi was commissioned on October 27. Both farine processing facilities were in operation since October 2017. The development of the facilities began in 2013, when CUSO International recognized the significance of cassava in sustaining and empowering indigenous communities in the Rupununi.
The objectives of the two projects are to provide opportunities for each community to stock and store thousands of pounds of farine for natural disaster preparedness. The organization saw the need to ensure food security for remote communities in the hinterland that are affected by the natural disasters like flooding and droughts brought on by climate change. It is seen as a way to increase disaster preparedness and to bring revenue into the communities.
