NIGERIA – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said Nigeria is saving N127billion annually through the use of high quality cassava flour in making bread.

Adesina stated this at the training conducted for Master Bakers on the inclusion of 20 per cent High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He explained that the use of HQCF will create more jobs for the youth, and generate wealth for farmers to build up their domestic wealth.

He stressed the need to reduce the level of unemployment and the need to reduce the foreign- exchange used for the importation of wheat into the country, so as to increase Nigeria’s GDP.

The minister who was represented by the Regional Director, South- South,  Martins Odeh, said the training was to empower the participants on the inclusion of 20 per cent High Quality Cassava Flour in making bread.

He urged the participants to make use of the opportunity and learn how to use the recipe as Nigeria remains the highest producer of cassava in the world.

Earlier, the representative of the Cassava Value Chain Desk Officer, Olajumoke Adewulu said, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is doing its best to improve the living conditions of Nigerian farmers.

She also said six high cassava processing plants had been approved by the National Assembly that are capable of producing 40metric tons of High Quality Cassava Flour  per day in the six geopolitical Zone.

Olajumoke also informed the participants that the cassava bill which is currently with the National Assembly will be passed into law so that cassava farmers will have all the incentives required.

She said the Federal Government would do its best to sustain the 20 per cent inclusion of High Quality Cassava Flour by clearing 530hectares of land in 40 locations throughout the country.

The training is for the master bakers in the six states of the south-south, and 20 participants represented each state, totalling 120 participants trained in the Zone.

October 2, 2014; http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/10/nigeria-saves-n127b-yearly-cassava-bread-adesina/