Abidjan, 13 October 2022 – The third edition of "October, Local Consumption Month" was officially launched in Abidjan Plateau, with the theme, "Consumption of Local Products: A Lever for Increased Productive Investment, Development, and Regional Integration." The event brought together several associations of producers and processors of local products, showcasing their innovative contributions to promoting Ivorian goods.
Organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and SME Promotion through the National Council for the Fight against the High Cost of Living (CNLVC), the initiative received strong appreciation from key players in the sector.
Léa Gao Koné, a promoter of cassava and its derivatives, including the popular attiéké, encouraged Ivorians to embrace locally made food products.
"We've been eating attiéké since we were children. To make it accessible globally, we produce dried or dehydrated attiéké, which can be stored for nearly two years at room temperature. It is packaged for easy transport worldwide," she explained. As a member of the Working Women Cooperative, she invited the Ivorian population to support and consume their dehydrated attiéké.
Noëlle Allégra, head of Yofê Group, presented her organization’s innovative work with safou (African plums). She highlighted the versatile uses of safou, which have been transformed into products such as seasoning, liqueur, body milk, soap, and shampoo.
"We also produce 'purple rice,' which is highly recommended for diabetics, but it’s suitable for everyone. It’s completely natural, made in Côte d’Ivoire, and packed with health benefits," she noted.
The initiative was also lauded by civil society. Ebrin Yao Rémi, President of the Platform for Civic Engagement in Côte d'Ivoire (PEC-CI), emphasized the importance of supporting local production.
‘We are delighted that, as a result of the various measures taken by the government, our local products are now being consumed. Ivorians have begun to realise that no one else will come and eat our products. That's why we, as members of Ivorian civil society, congratulate this initiative. We encourage all those involved, and we undertake to take the message to our people’, he said. He added: ‘We say that this type of action must be repeated every month, if necessary, to bring our fellow citizens to understand that Ivorians will only be free when they understand the meaning of consuming locally. That what our people produce locally should be consumed locally. From now on, every Ivorian, whatever his or her background or standard of living, must understand that the best thing to do is to consume what the Ivorian has on hand’.
Credit: gouv.ci