The Minister Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, on Tuesday, expressed hope over the maiden Africa Cassava Conference to boost productivity along the value chain towards achieving food security.
The Minister, who was represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Engr Abubakar Garba, stated this in a keynote address during a press conference held ahead of the maiden African Cassava Conference holding from October 18-20, 2023 in Abuja, with the theme ‘Stimulating Africa’s Industrialization through Development of Cassava Based-Products and Assuring Quality Along the Cassava Value Chain’.
Kyari said the Ministry through the Cassava Value Chain is continuously working earnestly towards continuous promotion and development of cassava and its derivatives.
He however expressed hope that the conference would highlight how stakeholders can work to develop a robust, commercially driven and economically viable cassava sector that will not only contribute to food and nutrition security but also increasingly contribute to growth of the commodity in Nigeria and Africa as a continent.
Furthermore, the Minister assured the Ministry’s continued support to promote boundless opportunities that exist in the cassava sub-sector for all stakeholders.
The conference is being organized by African Union Commission (AUC), and Pan-African Quality Infrastructure (PAQI), in conjunction with Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), to boost Intra-African Trade, BIAT, and the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA) objectives.
“Cassava is recognized as a staple crop and one of the major sources of carbohydrate for human consumption as well as other industrial uses, this is why the Ministry will continue to support the development of the commodity in Nigeria.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMA&FS) through the Cassava Value Chain is continuously working earnestly towards continuous promotion and development of cassava and its derivatives leveraging on the country’s comparative advantage of the commodity as world’s largest producer with a view to deriving its maximum benefits.
“The Africa Cassava Conference is welcomed as the importance of ensuring standardization in derivatives of cassava products cannot be over emphasized.
“Providing good quality cassava derivatives will facilitate increase in local and export demand of the product leading to enhanced efficiency and production of the crop.
“The outcome of the conference will no doubt bring about increase in the average yields in cassava; promote the stakeholders’ revenues; incorporate quality control inspection and certification system; encourage appropriate technology for rapid multiplication of the cassava and create jobs and wealth for the Nigeria citizens.
“The key opportunity areas in quality and standardization which can drive the sustainable growth of the cassava derivatives should include: Increasing investment opportunity in the establishment of cassava derivatives; Ensuring provision of credit facilities for players in the sub-sectors; and Facilitating provision of affordable insurance and legal services for farmers/players in the sub-sector”, the Minister said.
Earlier, the Project Manager, Africa Cassava Conference, Heather-Ronke Akanni, explained the objectives and impact of the conference in the cassava value chain in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
She said, “The objectives are not far-fetched, we need to provide an overview, create awareness, share evidence based contributions from our participating states and countries, outside and within Africa, it is also to inspire innovation.
“The expected outcomes of the conference are centered around the need to enhance knowledge, collaboration, increased awareness of cassava products and their innovation applications.
“And of course, the most important is to close the gaps in the cassava chain as post-conference activity.
“For sustainability and national impacts, a number of post conference activities and projects are being looked into for national interest especially across the 10 high Cassava producing states– Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo. All the states of the federation are being invited and through the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).”
. TheWitness
