2012 Budget: DG Commends Emphasis On Cassava, Rice

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr. Gloria Elemo, has urged those interested Nigeria's economic survival and independence from external food agency, to support the present government's cassava revolution, especially the mandatory 10 per-cent cassava flour inclusion in bread production.Dr. Elemo said, apart from its economic benefits, cassava revolution could provide youth unemployment through direct cultivation, as well as indirect utilisation of products by processors, millers and bakers.On the 2012 appropriation bill, she said President Jonathan's vision in prominent place to cassava, was a step in the right direction.In a statement, the FIIRO Director-General said research conducted by the Institute indicated that, at least, three million jobs could be generated through improved cassava production.According to her, consultations with flour millers across the country show that, based on the 6000 tonnes annual demand by flour millers, the 10 per-cent cassava bread policy, if well implemented, could fetch the country about N48 billion every year.'High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) inclusion in wheat flour has the capacity to generate N48 billion internal revenue based on about 600,000 metric tones per annum demand estimate by four millers at 10 per cent inclusion of cassava flour in bread making. It is estimated that the HQCF production alone could generate over three million jobs.'The FIIRO boss said the cassava policy in the 2013 budget was a frank admission and statement by President Jonathan that 'now is the time to look inward and solve our good challenges.'She noted that the food policyon cassava and rice (as contained in the budget), if adopted and genuinely supported by all Nigerians, would successfully tackle the food security challenges in the country.FIIRO, she said, had 25 years ago, taken the initiative to research the possibility of including cassava flour in bread production, saying that the Institute was gratified that the laborious effort had become a success story that would transform the country and make her people believe in themselves.She stated that it was possible to raise the 10 per cent quality to 15 and 20 per cent in the years ahead, but noted that it would, however, be advisable to begin with the 10 per cent, while working on how to improve on it.According to Dr. Elemo,, the agency had recorded a similar feat in the mid-eighties when it rescued the country from the crisis that followed government's ban on the importation of bailey malt used in beer production. The institute had aptly responded to the challenge when it researched into the use of sorghum malt to replace barely malt, which has till today remained the raw material for beer production.
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