Agriculture
‘Nigeria’s Cassava Project Still On Course’
The Nigeria Cassava
Growers Association (NCGA) has affirmed its support for the transformative changes in the agric sector implementation by the present administration.
The President of the association, Pastor Segun Adewumi, while addressing the media on the Nigerian Cassava Project in Abuja recently, described the media as a requisite collaborator in bringing to bear the voice of Nigerians on matters of key importance to the Nigerian polity and economy.
Reacting to a recent interview he granted to a National Daily (not The Tide) in which he was quoted to have stated that the emphasis on cassava was uncalled for, Adewumi noted that cultivation of wheat is being carried out in a few states while cassava is grown in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The association he noted has over 700,000 members.
“With the use of cassava as substitute raw materials we will save 20 per cent of the jobs that are being exported to the US and Canada with the importation of 4 billion of wheat every year”, he noted.
He explained that Tapioca, a Cassava Snack, is now being served on international flights and recognised for its inherent health benefits when compared to other food sources of carbohydrate.
In order to demonstrate the benefits of the attention being given to cassava on the economy, the NCGA President alluded to the fact that Allied Atlantic Distillers Limited (AADL) a major off-taker of cassava as raw materials is about to open a multi-million naira ethanol plant in Ogun State, the first of its kind in Africa.
The plant will mill over 300 metric tons of cassava daily in addition to the existing facility in the old site that mills 270 metric tons daily.
“Which Nigerian does not understand the need for our young men and women to be gainfully employed,” he asked.
Speaking on the cyanide scare, it was stated that there were many varieties of cassava and over the years some have been eaten raw and that modern technologies have been found to diminish the cyanide content in varieties with high cyanide volume.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.