Globally, the contribution of women has risen significantly spreading across all sectors from health, research, science and technology among others. Through the efforts of various governments and other interested parties, education for the young girl has been a priority over the years especially in the current African dispensation. Young girls are taken through various forms of training both formal and informal education in other to help them make ends meet.
Notwithstanding, a lot of women find themselves in the cosmetology, fashion industry just to mention but a few which is largely socially associated with women. There are others who dare enough to cross borders to male – dominated sectors of the economic space.
One of such industrious women is Mrs. Yemisi Iranloye, the owner of Paltry International Limited, a staunch agro-processor in the cassava industry in Nigeria. She is affectionately called the cassava queen. Her farm produces 10,000 tons of cassava every year employs about 5,000 farmers and have top brands as clients namely Nestle and Uniliver. Her factory produces starch, flour, sorbitol and natural sweetener from the cassava harvested.
Her story is one that inspires courage, confidence and commitment. She is a graduate of the Federal University of Technology Minna where she read Food Biochemistry in 1997 and completed her master’s degree in Biochemistry and nutrition from University of Ibadan in 2000.
She worked for 10years at an agro-processing company. At the company, she narrates how she fell in love with the crop, cassava, and left later to start her own business because she saw the crop’s commercial potential. She land which was used later for the factory. Interestingly, in the early days of the company she had to live on the farm in a small house with about six workers. They started the cultivation and also engaged with smallholder farmers in the community. Upon further engagement with the farmers in the community, she conveyed an important message on the value of cassava and why farmers need to pay particular attention to its cultivation in large quantities. The community’s effort served as an out-grower support.
For 10years, under her leadership, the business has had an astronomical growth to a tune of about $12 million in revenue per annum. The Paltry International Limited produces food grade starch, sorbitol the first cassava-based sorbitol factory in Nigeria. The produce, largely used by beverage companies, food company’s pharmaceutical companies and textile companies.
She worked for 10years at an agro-processing company. At the company, she narrates how she fell in love with the crop, cassava, and left later to start her own business because she saw the crop’s commercial potential. She land which was used later for the factory. Interestingly, in the early days of the company she had to live on the farm in a small house with about six workers. They started the cultivation and also engaged with smallholder farmers in the community. Upon further engagement with the farmers in the community, she conveyed an important message on the value of cassava and why farmers need to pay particular attention to its cultivation in large quantities. The community’s effort served as an out-grower support.
For 10years, under her leadership, the business has had an astronomical growth to a tune of about $12 million in revenue per annum. The Paltry International Limited produces food grade starch, sorbitol the first cassava-based sorbitol factory in Nigeria. The produce, largely used by beverage companies, food company’s pharmaceutical companies and textile companies.
She narrates that one of the biggest challenges was access to funding. The company at that time needed to have a constant cash flow in other to grow the business but the financial institutions were not willing to do so. As days went by the financial institutions appreciated the worth of the cassava business and supported. Through her determination, she has touched the hearts of hundreds of people by providing employment and raising their standard of living eventually.
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