FIIRO, bakers push for wheat alternatives in breadmaking industry

Onome Amuge

The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) and the Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN) have stressed the need to leverage affordable, locally sourced alternatives in the country’s bread value chain, with cassava identified as a promising solution.

This critical issue was the centerpiece of PBAN’s Members’ Day-Out, held recently in Lagos, as industry stakeholders gathered to explore the opportunities afforded by tapping into locally-available, cost-effective ingredients.

Speaking at the event, Jummai Tutuwa, FIIRO’s director-general, represented by Adetokunbo Osibanjo, the deputy director, disclosed that the institute has developed composite flour innovations combining cassava, sweet potatoes, and other local grains like sorghum and millet with wheat to reduce production costs and reliance on imported ingredients.

Highlighting the  potential of cassava as a locally-sourced solution to Nigeria’s bread production challenges, the FIIRO DG noted that the country is the world’s largest producer of cassava, and that cassava flour has been found to be a viable alternative to wheat.

However, despite FIIRO’s groundbreaking cassava bread innovation dating back to the 1990s, she lamented the slow adoption of the innovation by bakers and called for greater collaboration between stakeholders to drive adoption and break Nigeria’s dependence on imported wheat.

“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.

On his part, Emmanuel Onuorah, the PBAN president underscored the pressing need to reduce the cost of bread production by tapping into locally-sourced ingredients.

While Onuorah acknowledged that PBAN bakers are investigating cassava and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes as alternative ingredients, he cited the key issue of availability in commercial quantities and suitable forms. Specifically, he noted that bakers require these ingredients in dry, rather than wet, form to avoid the additional cost of storage.

In his plea to FIIRO, Onuorah emphasised the need for alternative materials to be readily available and cost-effective.

He urged FIIRO to work hand-in-hand with the bakers to ensure the availability of cassava and other locally-sourced ingredients in the suitable form and quantity needed to facilitate their widespread adoption in bread production, a move he believes would help alleviate the challenges posed by dependence on imported wheat.

“Our members are ready to innovate, but the government and research bodies must provide the necessary infrastructure and policies,” he said.

Babalola Thomas, the public and industrial agent officer of PBAN, echoed the importance of collaboration and long-term policy implementation in the effort to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported wheat.

Lamenting that Nigeria, despite introducing the first cassava bread 42 years ago, is still struggling with feasibility, Thomas asserted, “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.”

In their quest to boost the local bread production industry, the breadmakers implored FIIRO to deepen its engagement with the private sector.

Adebowale Adebiyi, chairman of the PBAN Members’ Day-Out planning committee, issued a pointed appeal, stating that FIIRO must engage with milling industries to reduce raw material costs, while making research findings readily available to potential investors and stakeholders.

The stakeholders’ meeting also included a panel discussion centered around the theme, “Innovations in a Dynamic Bread Making Industry: Using Local and Affordable Alternative Ingredients.” The session discussed the critical issue of finding ways to slash costs and boost productivity in the Nigerian bread production industry, while leveraging locally-sourced, cost-effective alternatives.

Panellists emphasised the importance of adopting a scientific approach, automating production processes, and implementing sustainable practices to enhance the competitiveness of the bread production industry in Nigeria.

The panel boasted a line-up of industry experts, including Bolaji Anifowoshe, vice president of commercial, Crown Flour Mill Ltd; Pearse Dorcas, managing director, Afost Integrated Company; Cletus Chibuko, managing director, Edcel Limited; and Adijat Olaniyi-Olopade, managing director,Elevensixteen Limited.

Olaniyi-Olopade moderated the panel discussions, guiding the experts through a wealth of topics surrounding the enhancement of the bread production industry in Nigeria.

The panelists cautioned stakeholders to exercise patience in their quest for a more self-reliant bread production industry, given that wheat cultivation is not yet a reality in Nigeria, and alternative options remain limited.

Emphasising the technical and systematic approach required for optimal bread production, they urged bakers to adopt a more scientific approach, grounded in the appropriate procedures and methodologies, rather than an ‘all-comers affair.

The panelists also addressed the importance of basic bakery maintenance practices, such as regularly testing water PH levels, accurately measuring water usage in flour mixes, and using extraction fans to cool fresh bread, rather than relying on open windows for ventilation.

These critical measures, according to the experts, contribute to higher-quality products and ensure that breadmakers are adhering to industry-standard best practices.