Cassava
By EricJames Ochigbo
Dr Tony Bello, a renowned food scientist, has advocated the creation of a youth/women-driven agribusiness structure to maximise the benefits of Nigeria’s renewed commitment to cassava export.
This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, by Bello who is the Chairman, Shine Bridge Global Incorporated.
He noted that the renewed commitment as announced by Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima was a turning point for Nigeria’s food security, foreign exchange earnings, and industrial competitiveness.
He therefore called for urgent integration of women and youth in the execution of the renewed national mandate on cassava export saying that the presidential announcement must be the beginning of accountable action.
According to him, the exclusion of women and youth from structured agribusiness ventures will stall impact and deepen inequality.
”The President and Vice President have spoken with clarity, now we must act with urgency. This cassava-for-export mandate must not become another elite-driven policy.
”We need to mobilise Nigerian women and youth as active stakeholders, and not just beneficiaries of this movement.”
The expert emphasised the need for private-sector-led institutions, like the proposed Nigeria Cassava Industrialisation Council (NCIC) to anchor delivery in partnership with agencies of government and development partners.
Bello also recommended talent exchange between professional Nigerians in diaspora and local innovators, processors, and farmer cooperatives to scale production, improve processing, and meet international market standards.
”Nigeria must avoid a repeat of past Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) and speeches that failed to deliver impact and establish the NCIC with women and youth as leaders and core members.
”Nigeria must prioritise youth-led clusters and female-owned cooperatives in cassava value chains and mandate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-backed investments from multinationals benefitting from starch import waivers.
”There must be partnership with diaspora professionals in engineering, food science, and investment strategy and create a national cassava-for-export dashboard with transparent milestones and results tracking,” he said.
He added that Shine Bridge Global, in partnership with some Nigerian and global institution, was set to inaugurate cassava brands including “RootiFufu”, RootiBake”, and “RootiBites” for export markets by some focused youth and women.
According to him, these products are designed to demonstrate Nigeria’s readiness to lead the world in gluten-free, Africa-rooted food innovation. (NAN)