The collaboration between Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Pacific Ring producing cassava chips will help address the problem of post harvest losses in the cassava sub-sector; JOHN OBA reports.
Several statistics has confirmed that Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world, with about 50 million metric tons annually from a cultivated area of about 3.7 million hectares. The country accounts 20 per cent of cassava production globally, 34 and 46 per cent of Africa’s West Africa respectively.
Also, the average yield of cassava is said to be about 13.63 metric tons per ha, as against potential yield of up to 40 metric tons per ha. While 66 per cent of the total production is in the south, 30 per cent in the north-central, and 4 per cent is in other parts of the north.
However, cassava is predominantly grown by smallholder farmers with most of them producing this for food and as a major source of income for rural households. Cassava is largely consumed in many processed forms in Nigeria and also used in the industry and as livestock feed with several by-products for industrial uses, it is also said to generate income for the largest number of households in comparison with other staples.
Over time, cassava has evolved from being a peasant’s crop to cash and industrial crop. Cassava in Nigeria is used for two main purposes; 90 per cent as human food and only 5 to 10 per cent as secondary industrial material (used mostly as animal feed).
About 10 per ecnt of the country’s industrial demand consists of high quality cassava flour (HQCF) used in biscuits and confectioneries, dextrin pregelled starch for adhesives, starch and hydrolysates for pharmaceuticals products and seasonings, Seventy percent (70%) of cassava processed as human food is garri (Cassava Master Plan, 2006).
Post harvest losses
According to FAO food loss and waste accounts for about 4.4 gigatonnes of GHG emissions (4.4 Gt CO2 eq) per year. If food loss and waste were its own country, they say, it would be the world’s third-largest emitter after China and the United States. This is not an exception for cassava producers. Though demand is very high and rising, production is low with very low yields, imports are tremendous and waste of cassava exceeds 50 per cent.
Over the years, post harvest losses have been one of the major challenges of cassava farmers, since there are no processing factories that would off take the harvested cassava. Research has it that loss of fresh cassava tubers at the farm and during gari processing amounts to more than 6.3 million mt, corresponding to annual mean losses of 37 kg per capital and that this does not include losses of garri during and after processing, which amount to around 800,000mt a year and losses in cassava starch production of around 106,000 mt per year. In addition monetary losses for cassava at farm gate and during processing, storage, transport and marketing amounts to N144 billion.
Interventions
Leveraging on the ease of doing business policy of the federal government, a German companies, Pacific Ring West Africa in collaboration with GIZ have commenced massive utilisation of cassava for chips. The strategic alliance initiative launched under the German develoPPP.de programme to sustainably integrate smallholder farmers in the delivery chain for industrial production of Cassanovas chips in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Ring, Mr. Thomas Hirsch, said the company is working with subsistence farmers in Nasarawa state and has trained them in good quality cassava production and business skills.
“We have established reliable business relations with cassava producing farmers and transport enterprises, develop new product lines along the cassava value chain, identify business opportunities for farmers and SMEs along the delivery chain
“Cassanovas employs up to 300 people directly, of which 200 are women, engaged 1500 farmers supported with long term supply contracts at fair market rates. We are working to achieve a zero waste production line including fish food made from cassava peel while local farmers are able to produce 6000 tons of quality cassava tubers annually. Our key to success is combining the innovative capacity and capital of the private sector and the resources, knowledge, and experience of development cooperation, moreso that we have start export of our products to Europe,” he said.
He said further that Cassanovas are made to international export quality and monitored for safety and hygiene standards. “So every day we work hard to ensure that every chip we make is made from the best cassava root and favoured with the tastiest spices,” he said.
Head of Cooperation, German embassy, Mr Christopher Wenzi, said Germany would continue to support small holder farmers, just as he commended the company for providing jobs for Nigeria youths.
“Doing business in Nigeria can be challenging but with persistency and alliance with cooperate organizations will enhance success. Thank you for the opportunity you created for the business, more so that you created more jobs, so I wish the company a lots of success and profits and I know that together will increase the numbers of families and households that can be part of the success stories,” he said.
Also, GIZ coordinator for Sustainable Development, Mr Hans, commended Cassanovas strides saying the motor within GIZ is creating meaningful jobs.
“This is one of our first Nigeria German cooperation in this field, we want to use the talent of our people and to learn from each others. We will not only want to create jobs but to also create incomes for Nigeria people and to be innovative. And this is a very innovative project here today and I would like to present this in our yearly conference as part of project on best practices for corporation in Africa.
“And this is a good example for match making, I think it is good we march German companies with Nigeria companies or to even other Europeans companies because we have very competitive markets all over the world and we also look for competitive products, while we should also look into our own markets here. We should not always think about Europe or US we should also start from here to produce products for your own country to get a bit more diversity in production. This is a good start in doing that, we are here to support you for the next three years,” he said.
The permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Bello Umar, expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the company, especially the company’s collaboration with GIZ, saying “this is the collaboration the government is looking forward to.
“We want Nigeria investor to collaborate with foreign investors on production in Nigeria. It is important that you have been able to achieve job creation, food security and mass production, these three are very important to Nigeria. Therefore, we urged that you make this product one of the best in the world. With companies like yours a lot of Nigeria has embarked on cassava farming to be able to meet up with their raw material demand by so doing we hope that more of these factories will be established in the geopolitical zones to cater for other rural farmers who also farm cassava.
“I also learn that you have commenced exportation of your products, by so doing, we can generate alots of foreign exchange. We assure you that as ministry of our total cooperation, we will collaborate with you, we will sensitise the farmers more on how to cultivate cassava for international acceptance. It is our expectation that we will continue support business that will create more jobs for the masses.”
