The Federal Government has disclosed that it had earmarked a
start-up fund of about N10 billion to enhance development in the cassava value chains through the Cassava Bread Development Fund (CBDF).
start-up fund of about N10 billion to enhance development in the cassava value chains through the Cassava Bread Development Fund (CBDF).
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Dr. Akinwunmi
Adesina, said this while rolling out farm inputs to farmers at the
Agbadu Staple Crop Processing Zone (SCPZ) in Kogi State, as part of the
Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS).
The minister, who was represented by his Senior Technical Assistant,
Mr. Adetunji Oredipe, explained that the CBDF would be generated from
the tariffs onimportation of wheat flour.
He added that the fund would also be used to support research and
development efforts on cassava bread, training of master bakers, support
for master bakers for the acquisition of new equipment for production.
The minister said the GES would allow the farmers to produce additional
food because the farmers will receive their improved cassava cuttings
and fertilisers.
“This year, we are taking cassava GES programme to scale, we have
designed different levels of support to different categories of farmers
and we are committed to making this work.
This marks another major milestone in our drive to ensure that the
modern cassava farmers adopt the best available agricultural practices
starting with the use of improved inputs; cuttings and fertilisers. In
doing this, we will ensure that our farmers, the real cassava farmers
who should be the real beneficiaries of government policy are well
targeted by government programme,” he said.
He added that a low interest and long term financing from the ChinaExim Bank for the importation of 18 large scale high quality cassava flour processing plant, which would be managed by the private sector, was to ensure sustainable supply of high quality cassava flour.
He added that a low interest and long term financing from the ChinaExim Bank for the importation of 18 large scale high quality cassava flour processing plant, which would be managed by the private sector, was to ensure sustainable supply of high quality cassava flour.
Earlier, Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture, Olufemi Bolarin,
noted that the state Governor Idris Wada, had keyed into the
Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the federal government by
encouraging and assisting peasant farmers in the state in crop
production.
The minister said the GES would allow the farmers to produ
No comments:
Post a Comment