Why Nigeria must pay more attention to cassava value chain dev’t
Cassava production is vital to the economy of Nigeria, as recent statistics show that the country is the world’s largest producer of the commodity. According to the statistics, Nigeria took the global lead with a production of about 58.8 million MT in 2017. A document from the Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) seen […]
Cassava production is vital to the economy of Nigeria, as recent statistics show that the country is the world’s largest producer of the commodity.
According to the statistics, Nigeria took the global lead with a production of about 58.8 million MT in 2017.
A document from the Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) seen by Daily Trust shows that the production of cassava is dominated by over six million families in Nigeria. It also showed that Nigeria is producing a third more than Brazil and almost double the production capacity of Thailand and Indonesia, yet the country is not an active participant in cassava trade in the international market.
In Nigeria, cassava production is fast becoming well-developed. The country is installing and utilising well-established multiplication and processing techniques. There are more than 40 cassava varieties in use.
According to the Director General of the council, Professor Ibrahim Hussaini Doko, the crop is produced in 24 of the country’s 36 states, adding that cassava production dominates the southern part of the country, both in terms of area covered and number of farmers growing the crop.
“Presently, the major states of Nigeria which produce cassava are Anambra, Delta, Edo, Benue, Cross River, Imo, Oyo, and Rivers, and to a lesser extent Kwara and Ondo,’’ the DG added.
He said in order to increase production, several varieties of cassava have been developed which are pest resistant, as production in the country is hampered by problems such as green mite, cassava mealybug and the variegated grasshopper infestations.
Diseases affecting cassava crop are mosaic disease, bacterial blight, anthracnose and root rot.
The DG said while cassava is low in vitamins, protein and nutrients, various programmes have been instituted to increase the acceptability, awareness and use of the bio-fortified cassava stem varieties that are more nutritious in food production.
Mr Toyin Ajayi, an agriculturist, said developing cassava value chain would help the country earn foreign exchange and contribute to its economic stability.
“From cassava you can produce garri, a local delicacy, biscuits, starch and so many other things,’’ he said.
According to the Nigerian Presidential Initiative of July 2002, the cultivated area of cassava was proposed to be increased to five million hectares, with a projected annual yield of 150 million tonnes to result in an annual export value of US$5 billion.
The Federal Government of Nigeria launched a project to introduce pro-Vitamin A cassava varieties to 1.8 million farmers in the country. The major stakeholders in the cassava sector, most especially, the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), were actively involved in the initiative with the help of US Aid for International Development fund.
Under the USAID programme, 5,000 cassava growers were furnished with high yielding varieties of cassava for planting. The aim was to upgrade the cassava stock among small growers, to enable farmers to raise their production from the current 12-15 tonnes of cassava per hectare to 40-50 tonnes per hectare.
In addition, various investments are being made in research and production along the value chain in order to revolutionise the outlook of cassava in Nigeria. The latest of such efforts was the Rockefeller Cassava Innovation Challenge, a global competition launched by the Rockefeller Foundation in partnership with Dalberg and IITA. The challenge seeks to address food loss and spoilage in the cassava value chain in Nigeria.
RMRDC’s interventions
According to the RMRDC DG, the council initiated a cassava development programme as far back as 1991. The programme is geared towards increased production, processing and utilization of cassava for food and as industrial raw material using a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional approach.
“In collaboration with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, the council has promoted the screening and multiplication of various early maturing varieties for High Dry Matter & Starch Content and those observed with requisite characteristics have been mass produced and given to farmers for planting.
“Closely allied with this, the council, in collaboration with the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan, produced Cassava Plantlets using tissue culture techniques. This particularly has assisted in building capacity for mass production of cassava planting materials in Nigeria.
“In 2006, we established a Pilot Cassava Processing Factory for a group of associations known as Friends of the Environment in Enugu while at the same time, provided cassava processing equipment to Kebbi State Cassava Growers Association,’’ he said.
He said RMRDC collaborated with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP), Umudike and a private company, Godilogo Farms in Obudu, Cross River State to design and fabricate a three tonne/day flash dryer for the production of High Quality Cassava flour (HQCF).
A public presentation of an improved flash dryer for HQCF production was made in 2009. The council has developed feasibility and technical reports on many investment projects including cassava starch production. Also, it has prepared investment profiles on cassava flour production.
Similarly, in view of the importance of Science, Technology and Innovation to products development, the council has been able to sponsor various R&D projects on various cassava development programmes in several tertiary institutions and research institutes across the country.