Unlocking Nigeria’s Cassava Potentials: Strategies for Growth and Poverty Reduction

Photo: CONCISE NEWS

Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world with an annual production of 59.49million metric tons in 2017. This represents approximately 20% of global production and a 37% increase in the last decade. The commodity is grown in virtually all states in Nigeria, although it thrives in the North Central and South-South states such as Edo, Benue, Kogi, Cross River, Imo and Rivers. Despite being the world leader in production, the country’s position in the global cassava market is insignificant.

Cassava remains a basic rural and urban staple, mainly processed into foods such as garri, lafu and fufu to meet the needs of Nigeria’s growing population. Little has been done to make it commercially viable to serve industrial purposes. Processing cassava into flour and industrial products accounts for just 10% of total cassava output. This is minute compared to countries such as Brazil, where processing accounts for 85% of output and Thailand, where it accounts for 95%. Nigeria’s inability to meet its industrial demand led to an increase in the importation of commodities such as starch, chips, syrups and ethanol. The import bill on cassava byproducts is as high as $650million annually.

Given the deficiency in domestic industrial supply as well as increasing global demand, especially in Asia, it is expedient that Nigeria step up its game to explore these new business opportunities. For the country to harness its potential in the production of this commodity, it is important that cassava production also becomes an industrial raw material and livestock feed. For this to be achieved, Nigeria needs an integrated seed system, a developed cassava processing industry and policies to encourage public-private partnership.

These steps could significantly position the country in the global market and serve as a means to diversify the country’s revenue base and boost economic growth. However, a new disease known as the “Cassava Brown Streak Disease” has been recently confirmed to be ravaging East Africa – Tanzania, DRC, Kenya and Mozambique and it is gradually finding its way into West Africa. Therefore, in addition to improved seedlings and storage facilities, efforts need to be geared towards preventing its outbreak into Nigeria for the country to remain the world’s largest producer. An outburst of this disease will reduce cassava output, thus increasing the price of commodities such as garri (a major staple), fufu and lafun.

Read Complete article on PROSHARENG