Cassava is currently the fourth most important food crop in the world after maize, wheat and rice.
Nigeria is one of the world’s largest producers of cassava with a record 53 million metric tonnes of cassava produced per annum. However, 90 percent of cassava harvested in Nigeria is processed into food for human consumption.
Apart from cassava flakes (known as Garri) and the pounded fufu consumed with varieties of soups as a staple food amongst many natives across tribes and ethnic nationalities in Nigeria ,most Nigerians ask with curiosity, “what else can cassava be used for?”
It will surprise you to hear that the whole world needs by- products of processed CASSAVA. Processed cassava is used in food industries as bakery products; confectioneries, canned fruits , jams, monosodium glutamate and commerical caramel while in the non food industries it is used for corrugated cardboard manufacture, wallpaper, moistening gums, foundry, well drilling, paper industry, textile, wood furniture, etc ..It is also used in the glucose industry for starch hydrolysis, and dextrose production . In livestock farming, it is used for animal feed production.
As Nigeria consumes 90 percent of its harvested CASSAVA, the demand for processed cassava by-products in industries puts heavy pressure on scarce foreign exchange for import of cassava derivatives to the whopping sum of US $600 million per annum according to Central Bank of Nigeria. This staggering amount of money could be saved if more cassava is harvested and processed for industrial use in Nigeria.
Statistical record has shown that the demand for bioethanol in Nigeria as fuel for cooking, to power vehicles (E10), and other industrial uses exceeds 1 billion litres while local production is almost non existent.
The honorable minister of innovation, science and technology, Chief Uche Nnaji said that Nigeria has optimal climate and land resources to produce and process sufficient Cassava, good enough not ony for food but also for industrial use .
The honorable minister, Chief Uche Nnaji while speaking to stake holders in the cassava processing shared the gap and potential annual demand that exists in cassava value chain as follows:
Demand for High quality cassava flour in bread, biscuits and snacks is above 500,000T while supply is below 15,000T
Demand for cassava starch is above 300,000T while supply is below 10,000T
Demand for cassava based constituents in sugar syrup is above 350,000T while supply is almost non existent
Demand for ethanol in Nigeria as a fuel for cooking, for vehicles (E10) and other industrial uses exceeds 1 billion litres while local production is nearly zero
The honorable minister said that bridging the supply gap means that farmers and cassava processors will smile to the bank with over $400 million dollar equivalent in naira annually , hence saving Nigeria of huge pressure on foreign exchange to import cassava derivatives while creating jobs for our teaming population .
The honorable minister said that a multi pronged approach has been developed to improve cassava production and availability for both food and industrial processing through introduction of improved agricultural practices, drought resistant Cassava varieties with high yield potential.
With a sense of urgency to bridge the unemployment gap and put a stop gap on the drain on foreign exchange reserves through import of ethanol, and most importantly to bolster Nigeria’s bio energy sector, the federal ministry of innovation, science and technology in partnership with Montserrado Investments Ltd and Federal Institute of Industrial Research have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to establish a cassava based ethanol plant in Ekiti State
The minister, Chief Uche Nnaji said that through the development of domestic ethanol production industry, Nigeria will reduce reliance on imported cooking fuels and will in turn safeguard it’s economy against global market fluctuations
Chief Nnaji also said that piloting the transformative project in Ekiti State will serve to jumpstart the bio energy value chain initiative in the South West region and set a precedent for similar projects across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Bioethanol production from Cassava serves as a quintessential example of how science can contribute to sustainable development
Thank you Chief Uche Nnaji. Nigeria is witnessing massive impact in various sectors through your dynamic leadership of ministry of innovation, science and technology
Nigeria will be great again
_Bishop Chinedu Nwoye
