CAIS trains Ondo Youths and Women on Biodegradable Packaging
Many Ondo women and youths vow to increase their plantain cultivation as CAIS reveals the goldmine in the plantain stem.
Plantains are cultivated mainly for food in Nigeria, therefore, nothing happens to the dead stem but to decompose and enrich the soil.
Last week, the Climate Actors for Innovations and Sustainability (CAIS) changed the narrative, awakening 150 community members in Ondo City on how biodegradable packaging materials can be produced from dead plantain stems.
The Eco-Paper innovation training programme which is centred on the conversion of plantain stems to eco-friendly paper promotes sustainable plant and animal ecosystems.
The training formed part of the goal of the PURE-WISE Project Ondo, which is to reduce plastic use and waste, providing an eco-friendly alternative for Single-use Plastic products.
The PURE-WISE project Ondo is organised and implemented by CAIS, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP)
The training, which took place at the CAIS Ondo community demonstration centre, Christland, Italuogho, between 20 and 24 April 2026 has been applauded by community leaders.
One of the things that made it the talk of the town was the strong turnout, strong will to learn how paper can be produced from plantain stems.
The training had two sessions: The first was on the procedure of preparing the ingredients needed for the production.
The second session was the practical, and real production where Mr Miracle Dikejiaku, the facilitator ensured that each participant followed the process from start to finish.
The participants were able to touch and feel the materials themselves, learning how to extract fibres, process them, and produce sheets of paper.
The packaging paper produced during the training proved to be firm, durable, and naturally bright, qualities that make it suitable for different uses, including packaging.
Aside from being used for packaging, it can also be used as the lining of bags, insoles of shoes, and material for artworks.
The Eco-Paper Innovation training seeks to address two pressing issues: the heavy reliance on wood-based paper production and the widespread neglect of agricultural waste.
By raising awareness of plantain pseudostem as an alternative raw material for Single-use packaging, CAIS presented a cost-effective, and innovative approach that converts plantain waste to products, and profit.
This defines a circular system where waste is recycled, rather than being discarded.
Facilitators explained that plantain stems contain a high level of cellulose similar to wood fibres, which makes them suitable for paper production.
Despite the innovation looking promising, there are some drawbacks, especially the processing of plantain pseudostem into finished paper which takes much time, usually 2 hours, serious efforts, and some technical know-how.
However, these production challenges are also the reason biodegradable packaging has a higher selling price compared to conventional paper.
Participants were made to understand that the quality of the paper is not defined by its thickness, nevertheless, there’s a minimum standard acceptable.
Mr Miracle Dikejiaku stressed that participants may not be able to produce high-quality paper in their first attempt, however, he assured them of improvement with continuous practice.
At the end of the program, the trainees expressed deep appreciation for the empowerment program, describing it as an eye-opener, impactful, inspiring, and worth their time.
Many of them vowed to start serious plantain cultivation, and never to discard their dead plantain stems but rather apply the knowledge acquired during the training to create an income stream for themselves.
The ‘Plantain Residue as an Eco-Friendly Alternative for Single-Use Plastic Packaging‘ program initiated and facilitated by CAIS is a timely response to agricultural waste in Ondo City.
The training offered economic opportunities from plantain waste, promoting resourcefulness and local enterprise.
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