Country Manager, C:AVA,

Prof. Lateef Sanni

The Country Manager, Cassava: Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA), Professor Lateef Sanni has made a fresh appeal to the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the Bill for 10 per cent inclusion of High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) in composite flour in Nigeria.

Prof. Sanni made the appeal at the just-concluded One-Day Stakeholders’ Meeting on “Cassava Inclusion Policy in Nigeria: Experience, Challenges And The Way Forward”, organized by C:AVA, in conjunction with the Nigerian Institute of Food Science Technologists (NIFST), held in Abuja.

Prof. Sanni, who is also the National President of Alumni Association, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) said the passage of the Bill became imperative because when passed into law, it would open more opportunities to the tune of over N30 billion for farmers, processors and marketers.

He stressed that this would help stabilize the polity and keep restiveness at bay in the nation.

Corroborating him, the Director-General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr. Oluwole Olatunji said the enactment of the Bill would cushion the effect of economic meltdown on the nation’s economy.

Highlighting the progress made by C:AVA, Professor Sanni said it had successfully restarted the value chain with high level of products sold in the 2009/2010 planting year.

Prof. Sanni also informed that C:AVA had improved tremendously on the processing and the development of business skills for high quality cassava flour as these had led to the establishment of linkages with specific intermediaries, he added.

He called on the Federal Government to de-list Cassava Products, placed under the importation embargo, in order to open windows of opportunities for stakeholders.