The summit provided an
opportunity for multi-stakeholder conversations between farmers association,
research institutions, input suppliers, banks, small-medium scale processors,
large-scale industrial processors, transporters, marketers, development
organizations and government ministries and departments. It also helps provide
accurate data on the state of cassava industrial and food markets. The summit
aims to organize a well-coordinated and well-targeted positive action that acted
as a catalyst for growth with corresponding multiplier effects on jobs creation
and industrialization.
The summit is a year in the
making, working closely with key development partners in both the private and
public sectors to ensure inclusiveness and targeted objectives with a roadmap
for growth for the cassava agriculture sector. The Summit also coincided with
the public launching of the Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of
Nigeria.
The
objectives of the summit include understanding the current state of the cassava
sub-sector and basis for transformative change, promoting inclusive investment
in the cassava industry based on analysis and dialogue, developing strategies
for launching cassava into a high performing and growth-oriented sub-sector,
building consensus on a policy framework to underpin cassava industrial
development, and development organisations on National Cassava Summit.
Cassava is a staple food crop
throughout the African continent, particularly in Nigeria. Despite being the
world’s largest producer of the cassava, Nigeria produces cassava primarily for
domestic consumption and does not rank among leading exporting countries. The
potential of the cassava sector to drive accelerated growth and jobs creation
will not be fulfilled without a systemic approach to addressing structural and
political economy issues that currently constrain it. Among these issues are:
relatively low yields and high costs, strong competition by the traditional
food market with the industrial market, weak value chain coordination, poor
infrastructure, poor access to finance, and unfair competition from cheap
foreign imports. Though not exhaustive, the challenges listed demonstrate that
the cassava agriculture sub-sector faces myriad problems and offers huge
potential. Coordinated action towards addressing these challenges will catalyze
growth with corresponding multiplier effects on jobs creation and
industrialization for Nigeria.
The Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, disclosed during the National Cassava
Summit on Thursday 8th September in Abuja that ‘’the country is
targeting to reap over $5billion annually from cassava production in the next
few years’’
He also said that Nigeria’s Agriculture has been neglected over the last
30 years but now the sector has the potential to employ more youths and improve
foreign exchange earnings. The Minister decried the economic challenges
currently facing the country and the negative activities of the Niger Delta
Militants. Chief Ogbeh equally blamed Nigerians’ high preference for
unnecessary foreign consumer products and the resultant contribution in
depleting the Country’s Foreign Reserve. He stated that the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) under his watch is poised to enhance
cassava export for foreign exchange as done in Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam.
 |
| From Left, Prof. Lateef Sanni and 3rd left, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Develolpment, Chief Audu Ogbeh |
The
Minister stated that the Ministry is working on 6% interest rate to Farmers and
exploring Cassava based products for compounding Livestock Feeds for cattle in
order to solve incessant Fulani herdsmen communal clash. He enjoined everyone to continue to partner and bear with the Government in
the renewed efforts to strategically reposition the country for economic
prosperity. Chief Ogbeh commended the Foreign Partners who identified with
Nigeria during this trying period. He assured that none would be forgotten when
the economy improves for better.
The
Minister however urged research institutes like the International Institute of
Tropical Agriculture to include vitamins in cassava in the next research work
to balance its nutritional content and enhance better consumption.
Also speaking at the Summit, Prof. Lateef Sani of the Federal University
of Agriculture, Abeokuta and the Country Manager for Cassava Adding Value for
Africa Phase II Project, when presenting on the roadmap said the industry has the
potential to create millions of job across the country through its Value Chain.
He stated that “By 2021, Nigeria cassava industry will represent over 5 billion
dollars, spur rural industrial development, generate millions of new jobs and
create wealth for over 45 million people and contributes to National
Food Security.
He spoke on the need for an all
inclusive inter-relation and the various stakeholders (Input suppliers,
producers, intermediate traders – primary and secondary, processors – primary
and secondary, marketing channels/outlets and the consumers including financial
institutions, research institutes and extension centres, standard authorities
and government) and the connection to make it work.
He also underpinned various pitfalls that responsible capable and
are capable of causing disconnections among the players and which will not make
the goal achievable. Prof Sanni gave an insight into the supply gap among major
industrial targets (starch, ethanol, glucose syrup, high quality cassava flour)
the investment outlook and target to achieve in various sectors.
In order to achieve the Road Map, Prof Sanni proffered that
Consistent supply of raw materials to the end user industries is a necessity.
The private sector should invest in the establishment of cassava industries, provision
of targeted support infrastructure for the industries and provision of targeted
support for the industry. In addition, good policy and institutional reforms
for the development of the Nigerian cassava sector, sufficient funding of
extension services and continuous collaboration among cassava based projects
for cassava industry development were highlighted as key factors for success
and growth of the sector.
Dr. Alfred Dixon of the International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture also speaking at the National Cassava
Summit said Nigeria was confronted with a growing population and rising
urbanization with high demand for food and feeds for livestock. He said “Cassava is an appropriate
commodity to feature in Nigeria’s economic development. “Nigeria’s cassava
production account for 20 per cent of the total global output but less than 1
per cent is being exported.”
 |
Cross section of participant at
the summit
|
The summit resolved that, for Nigeria to be globally competitive in
cassava export and achieve the $5 Billion Annual income target for the next 5
years, improved seed and inputs supply system and better cassava agronomic
practices as well as cluster formation of cassava producers for efficient input
use, easy and better aggregation, logistics and marketing must be ensured.
Some key takeaways from the summit were that:
- · Government and Private Sectors should invest more in mechanization and there should be conscious and deliberate efforts to disseminate information on cassava through extension service.
- · Government should promote cassava-based diets for animal feeds as a result of its potential to solve incessant Fulani herdsmen communal clash, encourage public and private partnership in extension and extend anchor programmes to cassava as done to other crops.
- · Stakeholders should put cassava information in the public domain.
- · Cassava products should be standardized for export markets.
- · NAFDAC and standard regulating agents should be friendlier in cassava regulation.
- · Single digit interest rate is applauded and should be extended to the cassava industry.
- · Government should give tax holiday and special intervention funds to major players in the Cassava Industry.
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