RMRDC collaborates with NSPPMAN on stivia plant

The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has partnered with the National Stivia Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NSPPMAN) on a plant seedling called stivia to help advance the economy and solve health issues caused by sugar.

Speaking, the representative of the director-general of RMRDC Professor Hussain Doko Ibrahim, the Director Technology Development Department, Dr. Abimbola Ogunwusi said the initiative was aimed at promoting stivia to replace sugar due to its low calorical value.

He made this statement during a presentation of a 300 stivia plant seedling to representative of NSPPMAN on Monday in Abuja.

“People with diabetes are recommended to use it, they have been importing the products which they call the serial products from India and other places and I believe it is very important that we cultivate the idea of production and processing it in Nigeria.

“We have distributed this across other sector but we specifically chose the association because they are the major body that will push this to develop the economy. We also hope to try it here in Abuja to see how it can perform in the next 6months, then spread to other parts of the country find where it will be conducive to grow it,” the RMRDC boss added.

Speaking, the President National National Stivia Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NSPPMAN), Alhaji Adamu Umar Modibbo, said that stivia plant can generate revenue worth 13billion dollars annually which in turn can be a good starting point for Nigeria in the pandemic era.

He said, “Because in production you will be able to harness and cultivate an hectare annually generating 5billion naira from it for just one hectare and so it is quite a beneficial plant.

“Also in the area of health, stivia treats diabetic patients because the natural sugar taste it has is over 300times the normal sweetness of sugar. Nigeria not left behind in this development has capable companies who can produce and process stivia plant but we have to come into production to have a large land of producing Stivia alongside a large number of farmers producing it, “ Modibbo stressed.

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