Cassava flour initiative gains traction as Senate pushes for a policy mandate
Onome Amuge
After a marathon of advocacy, Nigeria’s drive towards the integration of cassava into flour production appears to have found new momentum in the Senate, with a decisive step taken towards legally mandating the inclusion of Cassava in flour production and its derivatives.
The Senate undertook a major step towards requiring the use of Cassava in flour production and its derivatives following the second reading of a bill proposed by Senator Saliu Mustapha of Kwara Central.
The bill, in its objectives, mandates a 20 per cent inclusion of high-quality cassava flour in locally produced or imported flour.
During his lead debate, Mustapha underscored the urgent need for this legislation, pointing to the current Russia-Ukraine conflict as a key factor in the increased cost of wheat and its derivatives, such as bread, which is a staple food in many Nigerian households.
Continued wheat importation, he argued, has adversely affected the Nigerian economy, resulting in trade imbalance, loss of foreign exchange, and a dangerous dependence on imported food.
In addition to promoting self-sufficiency, the Senator highlighted the bill’s potential to spur a boost in Cassava farming, as well as establish a consistent market for Cassava flour. These provisions, Mustapha contended, are expected to not only alleviate Nigeria’s dependence on wheat imports but also unlock sustainable agricultural job opportunities for its citizens.
“Encouraging Cassava farming to create a sustainable market for cassava flour with a regulatory mandate of publishing regulations on the proportion of Cassava flour to wheat flour in edible flour production and tax incentives for producers of mixed Wheat and Cassava flour and Wheat importers who include Cassava flour in imported Wheat.
“The passage of this bill will enhance the efficiency of cassava production and processing operations. Cassava is a choice crop for rural development, poverty alleviation, economic growth, and ultimately, food security,” he stated.
During the legislative debate, several senators expressed their backing for the bill, with Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin stating that experts have concluded that incorporating a specific amount of Cassava flour into Wheat would not only be beneficial for bread baking but also provide better nourishment.
Despite these findings, Jibrin remarked that bakers have remained resistant to adopting these recommendations, leading to the necessity for legislation that would mandate compliance and ensure the inclusion of Cassava in flour production.”
In a decisive move, the Senate passed the bill for a second reading, effectively advancing it to the next phase of the legislative process. The Senate thereafter appointed its Committee on Agriculture to conduct a public hearing on the proposed legislation within four weeks.
FIIRO, bakers advocate cassava flour in bread making industry
Before the Senate’s recent move, the bread production industry in Nigeria was brimming with possibilities as the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) and Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria PBAN recently joined forces in Lagos to tackle the pressing issue of costly, imported wheat.
With an eye toward the future, both parties discussed the potential of cassava shaking up the bread value chain and empowering Nigeria’s homegrown food resources.
Jummai Tutuwa, FIIRO’s director-general, in a statement at the PBAN Members’ Day-Out event held in Lagos, discussed the potential of cassava as a locally sourced solution to Nigeria’s bread production challenges.
Tutuwa noted that Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava and that cassava flour is a viable alternative to imported wheat.
Despite FIIRO’s groundbreaking cassava bread innovation dating back to the 1990s, Tutuwa expressed concern over the slow adoption of the innovation by bakers.
“FIIRO is not an enforcing agency. Ours is to do these investigations and make the results available, to let people know this is possible, this is doable.
“You cannot force human beings, they have to make their own choices and their preferences.
“If Nigerians had embraced cassava bread earlier, we’d have overcome many of today’s challenges,” Tutuwa stated.
Emmanuel Onuorah, president of PBAN, underscored the urgency of finding locally sourced ingredients, especially cassava to reduce bread production costs. Although PBAN bakers are exploring cassava as an alternative, Onuorah stressed that the availability of cassava in dry form and commercial quantities remains a hurdle.
In his plea to FIIRO, Onuorah emphasised the need for alternative ingredients to be easily accessible and cost-effective, noting that bakers require these ingredients in dry form to avoid the added expense of storage.
Emphasising the critical importance of collaboration, Onuorah called upon FIIRO to join forces with bakers to address the challenge of cassava availability in dry form and commercial quantities.
This partnership, according to Onuorah, would facilitate the widespread adoption of locally sourced ingredients in bread production, potentially reducing reliance on imported wheat and mitigating the challenges that arise from it.
“Our members are ready to innovate, but the government and research bodies must provide the necessary infrastructure and policies,” he said.
Reiterating the relevance of collaboration and sustained policy implementation, Babalola Thomas, PBAN’s public and industrial agent officer, called for action to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported wheat. Thomas expressed dismay that, despite the pioneering introduction of cassava bread 42 years ago, the country is still grappling with its feasibility.
“Forty-two years is enough in the life of a nation to have mastered the art of milling both cassava and wheat flour. And you see, by now, discussions should have been far above and far higher than what we’re discussing,” he stated.
Adebowale Adebiyi, the chairman of the PBAN Members’ Day-Out planning committee, tasked FIIRO to collaborate with milling industries to drive down raw material costs.
Adebiyi also advocated for making research findings easily accessible to potential investors and stakeholders, empowering the industry to chart a course toward greater self-sufficiency.
Overcoming the obstacles facing Nigeria’s cassava flour initiative
According to recent data by the West and Central Africa Collaborative Wheat Network (WECAWheat), Nigeria spends about $3.3 billion annually on imported wheat.
Way back in 2002, the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration attempted to stem the tide of the country’s costly wheat imports, by launching the Cassava Flour Inclusion Programme.
The policy mandated that flour millers and bakers must use at least 10 per cent cassava flour in place of wheat flour for bread and confectionery production.
Despite the initial success of the initiative in increasing cassava production and consolidating Nigeria’s status as the world’s largest cassava producer, the policy encountered a major roadblock as flour millers resisted its implementation, arguing that the cassava flour they received was subpar for industrial use.
Faced with the challenges of the cassava flour inclusion programme, research institutions like the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), FIIRO, and National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) joined forces to develop improved cassava varieties capable of producing high-quality flour. These new varieties were disseminated to farmers, to provide the superior cassava tubers needed for enhanced flour production.
Despite these promising efforts, the programme lost momentum after the Obasanjo administration, leaving the dream of a thriving, locally-driven bread industry in a state of suspended animation
In 2012, during the Jonathan administration, the cassava flour inclusion initiative was revived, with the ambitious aim of reducing the use of wheat flour by 40 per cent and increasing the use of high-quality cassava flour to 40 per cent by 2015. However, the policy faced several stumbling blocks, including:
- Delayed implementation
- Challenges in cassava production and processing
- Limited response from flour millers
- Lack of knowledge among bakers on using cassava flour
- The inability of industries to meet the rising demand for cassava flour from bakers”
According to agricultural expert Elijah Ohimain, the challenges faced by the cassava flour policy are rooted in the very nature of cassava production, marketing, and consumption in Nigeria.
Ohimain explained that as a highly perishable crop, cassava begins to spoil within a few days of harvest, reducing its value for industrial use. Furthermore, he noted that the slow, manual processing of cassava into flour often results in lower-quality cassava flour that fails to meet the standards of many flour millers.
Babafemi Oke, southwest chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has stated that reviving the cassava flour policy hinges on the government demonstrating a genuine commitment to supporting the initiative.
Oke believes this can be achieved by providing a fair and competitive price for cassava flour that matches the levels offered under previous administrations.
One essential component in this revival, Oke argues, is the provision of cassava processing facilities near farmers, allowing them to process the highly perishable cassava crop on the same day it is harvested, preserving its quality and ensuring its suitability for flour production.
“Without access to these facilities, farmers are not able to convert their cassava into flour on time, which can result in spoilage and quality loss,” he said.
Segun Adewunmi, former president of the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association, stressed the need for a collaborative effort between the government, agricultural research institutes, and financial institutions to provide the necessary resources and support for farmers to grow high-quality cassava.
Adewunmi proposed that, in addition to investing in farmers, there must be a concerted effort to conduct rigorous research into the use of cassava flour in bread production.
This, he noted, would guarantee that cassava flour meets the same standards as wheat flour, thereby creating a viable and sustainable alternative for the bread industry and, ultimately, reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported wheat.