The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria was on point a couple of years ago when it said the revival of the cassava bread initiative is capable of reflating the economy with about N255bn annually.
The association was convinced that the initiative, which involves the use of composite flour containing 10 per cent cassava flour for baking bread, should discourage importation of wheat and promote cassava production in the country, thereby saving the country about N7bn it spends on the wheat importation annually.
The association strongly believed that the revival of the cassava bread initiative “is not only timely in view of the federal government’s economic diversification policy but would also boost the agro-economy and encourage cassava farmers to improve their production.”
The association was also of the opinion that the initiative would save foreign reserves for Nigeria as the money spent on wheat importation would be used to fund national development projects or tackle some essential socio-economic exigencies in the country.
Currently, Nigeria’s 2016-17 wheat consumption is estimated to be 3.9m tonnes as against the 2015-16 market estimates put at about 4.2 million tonnes.
We recall that the cassava bread policy was introduced by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration and designed through legislation on the inclusion of cassava flour in bread making and other confectioneries in Nigeria. It was meant to be in the ratio of 90 per cent wheat flour and 10 per cent cassava flour as against the then subsisting 100 per cent whole wheat bread.
The Obasanjo government organised sensitisation programmes, seminars and workshops on the production and packaging of high quality cassava flour in the 27 cassava producing states in Nigeria.
But the initiative hit a brick wall as major stakeholders, farmers, processors, millers and master bakers were apprehensive of its acceptance by the consumers especially those with contempt for cassava as a poor man’s food. Consequently, the policy suffered a setback.
Similar efforts by the Goodluck Jonathan administration did not fare better. Whileunfolding the 2012 economic plan targeted at total removal of concession or waiver on import duty on rice and wheat, the Jonathan administration imposed a further 65 per cent levy on wheat flour to bring the effective duty to 100 per cent, while wheat grain attracted a 15 per cent levy, bringing the total duty to 20 per cent, effective from July 1, 2012.
The policy mandated cassava flour inclusion in wheat flour, starting with a 10 per cent cassava flour inclusion rate, to steadily increase to 40 per cent by 2015. Also, some fiscal incentives such as duty-free import of related equipment and machinery were also introduced. Although these resulted in rising prices for wheat flour and other wheat-based foods, apathy for the initiative lingered as many perceived the programme as mere propaganda on food security in Nigeria.
The designers of the cassava bread initiative had been optimistic in view of the abundance of cassava in the country. Firstly, Nigeria is the largest producer of the crop which is the fourth staple food in the world and it is consumed as garri, lafun (dried flour) by over 70 per cent of Nigerians with an average demand estimated at about 12,900 metric tonnes per annum, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Many have suggested that it is high time the federal government walked its talk by implementing the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP) meant to restore growth, focus on achieving macroeconomic stability and economic diversification.
To achieve economic diversification, apart from focusing superficially on the key sectors that engender economic growth, it has been suggested that the federal government should adopt a proactive approach to agro-business and products including encouraging local content in popular staples.
In view of the tonnes of bread Nigerians consume daily, we believe government’s pragmatic support for the initiative will not only boost foreign exchange generation but also whittle down the huge amount the country spends on importation of wheat and related products which are derivable from cassava flour.
Advocacy for consumption of locally made products, cassava bread inclusive, should go beyond klieg light gimmicks and populist fanfare. Nigeria cannot attain self-sufficiency in food production without harnessing available local contents.
Undoubtedly, the revival of cassava bread initiative will stimulate interest in the use of local contents, ginger increased investment in other sectors, less reliance on foreign exchange for intermediate goods and raw materials and greater export orientation as well as improve competence in local production.
