Cassava can grow Nigeria’s economy — Expert

Cassava has been identified as a major cash crop with many derivatives for growing Nigeria’s economy and expanding the gross domestic product if prioritised by the government.

The Managing Director/Executive Director of Agbeyewa Farms Limited affiliated with Cavista Holdings Limited, Mr Oskar Ayeleso, made this known on Thursday during Agbeyewa Day while speaking with newsmen at the 2024 Odu’a International Trade Fair ongoing at the Oyo State Trade Fair Complex EXPOYO, Sango, Ibadan, the state capital.

He said in spite of the profitability of cassava, it was excluded from the list of major cash crops for international promotion, drawn up by the United States Agency for International  Development.

Ayeleso who expressed shock that USAID had not given consideration to cassava as a valued crop for international promotion, stressed that it would be difficult to conquer the problem of hunger and unemployment without the country’s full commitment to agriculture.

He then emphasised that Agbeyewa Farms was working towards making Nigeria a food-secure economy.

Earlier, the executive director in his speech at the event, said the agricultural firm aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s mission to rejuvenate the nation’s economy and create jobs for the teeming youths.

Ayeleso also disclosed that Agbeyewa Farms had a projection of cultivating 10,000 hectares of cassava farmland in every local government of Ekiti State.

He also indicated the willingness of the agro-allied organisation to partner with committed partners towards increasing food security and production in Nigeria, adding that cassava would soon be included on the list of USAID.

Agbeyewa chief executive said the company’s mission was being driven by modern agricultural machinery for clearing, ploughing, ridging and planting.

He stated that through the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, the agro-allied company had been empowering communities within their areas of operations, aimed at making such communities benefit from the success of Agbeyewa Farms.

“Our Gross Domestic Product at the national level can only witness growth if we begin to look at our GDP from the local and state levels before it can dovetail with the national level.

“When we went for a programme in Abuja recently, we met with USAID at the US Embassy recently. And we noticed that what they had on their table as farm produce for promotion were maize, millet, rice and one other produce. Cassava was not there and I was very astonished.

“They saw the reason with us when we made presentations to them on the need to adopt cassava as one of the produce they should be promoting. Very soon, we will begin to see cassava on the list of USAID.

“If we begin to cultivate cassava at the local government level and we encourage the youth to embrace commercial agriculture from planting to harvesting of cassava, and also reach out to small-holder farmers, that will lead to sustainability of our economy.

“Casavan has many derivatives that can grow our economy and increase our GDP, including the revenue of local governments,” Ayeleso said.

Ayeleso appreciated the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun  Oyebanji, for providing a supportive environment for their business to thrive.

Delivering his speech, the General Manager, Agbeyewa Farms Limited, Mr Babatunde Akinsinde, said the company would continue to leverage good agronomic processes to produce cassava in an economic and profitable manner.

He said the agro-allied company was willing to assist youths interested in agriculture with free land and stems to plant cassava, adding that Agbeyewa Farms would also assist in harvesting the produce and help them find buyers.

In attendance at the event were farmers drawn from the South West states, stakeholders and students from different schools in Oyo State.