Cassava :How Farmers Can Earn N10trn From Cassava Processing.

How Farmers Can Earn N10trn From Cassava Processing.Nigeria is the highest producer of cassava in the world with over 40 mil­lion metric tonnes per annum. About 60 per cent of Nigerian farmers are in­volved in cassava production because it is one of the food security crops. Cassava roots can grow on any soil in Nigeria and it is virtually grown in the 36 states of the federation. It is very resistant to drought and sur­vives in a variety of soils. But today investors are yet to understand the untapped investment opportunities and farmers hardly see cassava crop as avenue to hit hard currency. GROWING and producing cassava for local consumption, processing for industrial use and meeting the stan­dard of exportation is a huge invest­ment that can transform Nigeria’s economy with its potential to earn over N10 trillion annually and turn individuals to millionaires, even mul­ti-billionaires from cassava project. Cassava tubers that may be pro­cessed into a variety of products that are gaining huge demand in the ex­port market including chips, flakes popularly known as garri, cubes, peeler, starch for industrial and pharmaceutical use, flour, which can be eaten as elubo lafun or used in the bakery industry, pellets, glues and adhesives, ethanol and glucose syrup, among others. The Na­tional President of Cassava Growers Association, Pastor Segun Adewun­mi, said that from cassava alone, Nigeria could make twice what the country was making at the peak of crude oil production. He pointed out that Nigeria has 84 million hect­ares of arable land, that if five million of hectares can be developed in five years, it would be enough to provide N10 trillion annually through indus­trial cassava to Nigeria’s economy. He added: “From cassava you get ethanol in two grades, including bio-fuel and the food grade. The food grade we are using in this country is worth N3 trillion and we have not even started with the one of bio-fuel and industrial starch.

AGRIBUSINESS: Women and cassava processing in Nigeria.

Women and cassava processing in Nigeria. Women are the key players in cassava production and processing in Nigeria. They are involved in the planting, harvesting, processing, distribution and sales. Cassava processing operations include peeling, grating, fermentation, pressing, roasting, cooking and milling. 

 The constraints women still face in cassava processing include manual peeling which is time consuming and tedious, natural fermentation process which takes a long time, inadequate processing equipment, lack of storage facilities, high transportation cost, high processing cost, lack of funds, unstable agricultural policies, ineffective linkages in the value chain, and lack or delayed technical support of extension services.  

 Their productivity is due to low input technologies, lack of resources as a result of poverty and inadequate government support. 

Research technologies for small scale cassava processing have not adequately addressed the problems of women cassava processors in the gender perspective such as in the design of female-friendly tools for hydraulic pressing for ease of operation.

This can be addressed by Many of the cassava processing equipment produced by researchers are yet to be adopted by the rural processors 

Empowering women cassava processors effectively therefore requires gender responsive research approach, educating the women through sensitization and training and government intervention by gender mainstreaming of agricultural policies to tackle issues relating to cassava processing in the cassava value chain. 

 Key areas in educating the women processors include training on standards for cassava products and improved food safety practices, sensitization on industrial uses of cassava in order to encourage them to diversity their products to increase income generation and use of cassava waste in generating biogas to save processing cost.

How to boost productivity and efficiency of women in agriculture.

How to boost productivity and efficiency of women in agriculture. The role of women in agriculture cannot be undermined but their efficiency and productivity are bedeviled by various problems. 

 The role of women in agriculture is significant as they form a major percentage of producers found along the chain of production from farm to table. Women engage in tilling the soil,planting various crops and some are even processors.

  Women in agriculture play a vital role in food security.Women form the crust of development of rural and national economies as they make up 47% of the world’s agricultural labor force, which in some countries are as high as 75% 

       How to boost productivity and efficiency of women in agriculture.

 According to a study about 80% of the agricultural produce is from small farmers, that are basically rural women.

 These Women comprise the largest percentage of the workforce in the agricultural sector of which – 75% are food producers , 10% of these women are processors while the 15% are left with marketing. 

To boost productivity and efficiency of women in agriculture,there must be a deliberate move to buy the produce off them,which can be achieved by any of these methods.  

 1) A platform where an off- takers scheme is the motto. 

2) education on advanced food processing,branding and marketing. 

 Boosting  productivity and efficiency of women in agriculture can also be achieved if new innovative products are produced so that more market is created,an example is the innovative method of turning garri to snacks.

Star organic farmer championing toxic-free food production.

Star organic farmer championing toxic-free food production.A deficiency in his immune causing muscle weakness inspired Dennis Andaye to start his own companies that offer farmers and consumers’ nontoxic and healthy food. Star organic farmer championing toxic-free food production.

How technology is transforming Africa’s agricultural industry.

How technology is transforming Africa’s agricultural industry. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra) is reporting that close to 70% of the population is involved in agriculture as smallholder farmers working on parcels of land that are, on average, less than 2 hectares. Given those statistics, the importance of agriculture at the heart of conversations on Africa’s economy’s journey cannot be overemphasized. The World Bank estimates that Africa’s food market will be worth $1 trillion by 2030 up from the current $300 billion. In addition, the continent’s food import bill, the latest trends show, stands anywhere between $30–50 billion. How technology is transforming Africa’s agricultural industry.

Plateau State guns for potato export.

Plateau State guns for potato export.Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has disclosed that the state will launch into the exportation of Irish potatoes in 2019 as a channel to increase its internal revenue.

We must support the government in agriculture – Traditional Rulers.

We must support the government in agriculture – Traditional Rulers.Traditional Rulers under the auspices of Royal Fathers in Agriculture (ROFINA) have flagged off the harvest of cassava in Imo State, South-East, Nigeria, to buoy up government’s campaign on agriculture. The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ROFINA, His Royal Majesty, Eze Chidume Okoro, said the initiative was formulated out of the need for traditional rulers to support the government’s agricultural revolution. We must support the government in agriculture – Traditional Rulers.