In a bid to promote the acceptance of cassava bread among Nigerians, Four ministers on Friday at the Ministerial Platform in Abuja, ate and shared the product to guests present at the event.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, with his counterparts in Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Malaifa, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Bukar Tijani, urged Nigerians to start patronising the cassava bread.
While presenting his mid-term report, Adesina said delegates from the United States who visited the ministry commended the initiative and testified of its rich food nutrients.
He said, “Cassava bread lasts longer; it is more nutritious and durable, and is even cheaper than the normal bread. Nigerians are encouraged to eat this bread as it has been recommended by the President and international experts who have tasted it and have commended this government for coming up with this laudable initiative.”
Adesina said through research and collaboration, 40 per cent substitution of cassava flour for wheat flour in bread was achieved in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Federal Institute for Industrial Research.
He said, “The President directed on November 30, 2011 that cassava bread should be commercialised. Within 90 days, the first ever commercialisation of cassava bread was achieved with the production of cassava bread at market scale.”
He said the government had succeeded in moving beyond production at laboratories to commercial production for public consumption, adding that most super stores and bakeries in the country had started producing and selling cassava bread.
Adesina said, “To support the use of cassava flour in bread, the government put in place a number of fiscal policies. The tariff on the import of wheat and wheat flour was raised. Duty on the import of enzymes for the production of cassava bread was eliminated.
“All equipment and machinery for the production of cassava bread would attract zero duty. Furthermore, government established the Cassava Bread Development Fund to be funded through the tariff on wheat flour.”
The minister added, “The CBDF will 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 producing cassava bread, social marketing to boost demand for cassava bread, especially through school feeding programmes and improved production of cassava flour by small and medium scale producers.”