The federal government has disclosed plans to increase cassava production from 64 million metric tons per annum to 120 million metric tons per annum.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after a facility tour at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO) in Oshodi, Lagos.
The minister, led by the institute’s director general, Jummai Tutuwa, visited the institute’s Engineering building, Pulp and Paper division, Cassava Processing Pilot Plant, Exhibition Dome and Training Pavilion.
After the tour, the minister decried the underutilisation of the food processing equipment domiciled in the institute, saying the utilisation would increase food production and create employment.
“We have cassava machines here and with cassava alone, we can make fortune in this country because Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava to the whole world with 64 million metric tons per annum and with the strength that we have now, we will multiply it to 120 million, if we concentrate on cassava and with the machine here,” he said.
He added that the ministry will assist the agency to leverage technology to resuscitate the country’s strength in exporting plantain flour, stressing the need for the country to produce its food items.
“We will soon start producing for this country everything we need. We don’t have to waste the mega dollars we have. We have to make more money exporting than importing.
“Part of our focus going forward will be to start doing pilot planting, so that we can have as much cassava, plantain and as many of these leaves to make paper,” he added.
Earlier, the institute’s director general revealed the institute’s commitment in ensuring food processing and security, saying the institute has the capacity to produce tomatoes, cassava bread and plantain.
