500 Cassava Processors Trained for Flour Substitution Policy

The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) conducted training for 500 cassava processors in Ibadan, Oyo State, as part of efforts to implement Nigeria's policy of substituting 20% of wheat flour with high-quality cassava flour in bread production. This initiative, announced by Alex Abutu, aims to support the federal government's policy introduced during former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration.

The program is designed to stimulate agro-industrial growth, create rural jobs, and promote value addition across the cassava value chain. The training sessions, held in Fasola, Oyo State, included hands-on instruction on various cassava-based baked products.

Samuel Ogunley, AATF's project coordinator for the cassava mechanization and agro-processing project, emphasized the importance of building the capacity of processors to ensure a consistent supply of quality cassava flour for bakeries. The project aims to train 1,000 processors upon completion, addressing supply gaps and supporting the wider adoption of cassava flour in commercial baking, which could significantly reduce Nigeria's wheat import expenditures.