Mr Muideen Adekunle, the Oyo State Chairman,
Nigerian Cassava Growers Association (NCGA), has announced the association’s
plan to establish three processing centres to produce cassava flour for bread.
Adekunle told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on
Tuesday that the centres, to be located in the three senatorial districts,
would also produce garri, cassava chips and starch, among other bi-products.
He said that the project was the association’s contribution to
the ongoing Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) aimed at achieving
self-sufficiency in food production in the country.
Adekunle expressed confidence in the Federal Government’s ability
to provide the necessary assistance to cassava farmers under the agenda.
The chairman appealed to the Oyo State Government to emulate its
Kogi counterpart by linking farmers with foreign investors for adequate
marketing and enhancement of their agricultural products.
According to him, the association has enough land and dedicated
members to satisfy local and international demands, stressing that such linkage
would aslo encourage the youths to embrace cassava cultivation.
He, however, commended Gov Abiola Ajimobi for signing a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with foreign investors to develop the state’s
cassava industry.
According to him, the association targets 42,240 tonnes of
cassava from 1,920 hectares for the 2012 harvest, while 12,000 hectares have
been earmarked for cassava farming in the 33 local government areas of the
state.
He urged new, old and corporate members of the association to
revalidate their membership by filling the necessary papers that would identify
them as serious members worthy of government’s assistance.
No comments:
Post a Comment