THE RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL COLLABORATES WITH  BAYOU FARMS AND INDUSTRIES IN ESTABLISHING 120,000 HECTARE CASSAVA FARM AND PROCESSING PLANT.

In support of the Federal Government of Nigeria Programme to reposition Cassava for economic Development and diversification of the National economy from petroleum, the Council carried out series of activities on cassava in the recent past.  One of such forum, was the stakeholders meeting on production of high grade Cassava flour for Bread and biscuit industries in Nigeria which took place on the 1^st of March, 2007 at the Council’s Auditorium.  The meeting was organized in collaboration with Abuja Investment Company.  The one day meeting attracted notable bakers, producers of biscuits and confectioneries from across the states and was chaired by the then special assistant on food security to the former President Mrs. A. Toyin Adetunji.  The forum was put in place at the instance of Bayou Farms and Industries in consultation with their technical partners Schaffer and Associates International LLC (Sail), Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, United States of America.  The Company Managing Director Mr. William Schaffer was present at the meeting.  The objective of the meeting was to evolved strategies for solving challenges associated with the use of cassava flour in bread and other products.

The stakeholders meeting observed that the Government policy of 10% Cassava inclusion in Bread and other confectioneries has created an additional demand of 380,000MT for Cassava flour annually.  Also Cassava starch has been found to be a better local alternative to corn starch; companies like Nestle and Cadbury, presently use Cassava starch for their products.  Ethanol, Chips, Glucose Syrup are other products of Cassava from which Nigeria is expected to reap huge revenue.  Cassava has also been found to be a good substitute for grains in animal and poultry feeds.

The stakeholders meeting also noted challenges confronting the development and utilization of cassava among other things.  High cost of production has consistently made the investment in cassava unattractive because locally made cassava products cannot compete favourably with foreign ones. Small scale cassava farms dominate our farming systems and are manually operated; cassava tubers which are highly perishable attract very low prices.  There is also the absence of cluster of processing plants near production areas.  Therefore, in order to improve on the profitability of cassava business, the meeting agreed that:

1. Commercial farming, community block farming, nucleus farming and outgrowers contract farming must be encourage.

2. Establishment of industrial flour mills and value adding industries in the production areas to overcome low prices and to stimulate markets.

3. Cassava is capable of enhancing rural economic development, reduce poverty and sustaining industries better than other crops.

On the strength of information gathered from the stakeholders meeting.  Bayou Farms and Industries Limited together with Schaffer and Associates International, LLC (SAIL), Louisiana State University, Agricultural Centre in partnership with South Crown Industry and Commerce China resolved to establish an Integrated Cassava Flour Project in Nigeria with technical support from the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) using improved varieties from National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCR) Umudike – Abia State.

In pursuance of this objective, Mr. Martis Imudia the Managing Director of Bayou Farms and Industries Limited attended a World Conference on Cassava in China in August 2007 where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between his Company and China Academy of Sciences for possible collaboration on the establishment, of a large scale cassava model flour processing plant in Nigeria.

 As part of the agreement, a four man team of Chinese experts were in Nigeria between 6^th and 9^th of November, 2007 on fact finding mission.  Their first point of call was the RMRDC Abuja on 7^th November, 2007.  The team was Led by Professor Biu Liu, Assistant Director, Beijing, Genomics Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Others were Prof. Wenguan Wang (Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, (Hainan China), Vice Proffessor Huag Jie (Tropical Crops Genetic Resource Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Danzhon China and Long Jun of South Crown Industry and Commerce Company Limited, Zunai, China the fabricator of the proposed plant.  The Chinese were accompanied to the Council by Mr. D. A. Akoh (Chairman, Amen Food Ojodu Ofu Local Government Kogi State), Mr. Martins Imudia (Managing Director Bayou Farms and Industries), Alhaji Sanni Abdullahi (Director Bayou Farms and Industries) Prof. Andi Birisibe a consultant Biotechnologist was also on Bayou Farm and Industries team.  Mr. F. U. Airlia (General Manager Bayou Farms and Industries).  The visitors were received by Mr. B. A. Aluko, (the then Acting Director Agricultures and Allied Department), Dr. M. A. Jolaoso, (Deputy Director Investment and Consultancy) and Mr. Onjewu Sunday Suleman (Principal Scientific Officer, Food and Beverages Division).

The team was assured of the Council’s Commitment towards the project as it aimed at developing local resources.  They were also briefed on the Council’s several efforts on promoting cassava both for local consumption and export with research and development (R&D) on improved varieties, procurement and donation of improved varieties to farmers associations, participation in presidential initiatives programme on cassava, sponsoring of several workshops on products development from cassava.

After the meeting in the Council’s board room, the Chinese and the Bayou Farms officials left for Ojodu in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, accompanied by Mr. Onjewu S. S.   The Kogi State University, Ayingba, was visited where the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Adeoye A, and Professor Femi Balogun, Dean Faculty of Agriculture received the visitors and pledged the university support to the proposed project.  The university’s laboratory of Home economics Department was inspected for possible use when the needs arises.

After two days of combing the 1,200 hectares of land acquired for the projects, the following conclusions were drawn:

· That the land was suitable for the proposed project
· That the land preparation would be done using mechanical and chemical, methods
· That infrastructural development would commence once the designs had been approved.
· That the project would require about 120 indigenous workers and few expatriates from china.
·  That there is the need for Chinese training of few personnel that would be involved in supervising the project. 

Two (2) RMRDC staff should participate in such training.

·  That the capacity of the processing plant would be 30 tonnes of cassava starch per day.

·  That the processing plant will require 90 tonnes of fresh cassava tuber per day.

·  That the lowest yield from the farm should be 30 tonnes per hectare.

·  That there is the need to introduce some exotic breeds from China capable of yielding 60 tonnes per hectare.

·  The processing plant wound require 600 cubic litre of water per day.

·  Designing, fabrication and shipment of the processing should be completed by March 2008 all things being equal.

·  The investors were to carry out the assessment of the water level as matter of urgency.

 EXPECTED ROLES OF RMRDC IN THE PROJECT.  

1.  The Council is expected to support the various stages of the project with relevant technical information.

2.  The Council as a matter of urgency should provide improved varieties of Cassava cutting for 120 hectares of land pending the arrival of the exotic varieties from China.

3.  The Council is expected to liaise with relevant government agencies to facilitate the introduction of varieties from China.

4.  RMRDC staff to be part of the training programmes in China.