The Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (ICSAN) and Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), have trained 100 master bakers and private confectioners in cassava flour inclusion for bread production.
Mr Segun Ladele, the President, ICSAN President, said that the inclusion of 10 per cent of High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) in bread production would save the country about two billion dollars on wheat importation.
Ladele said this at a one-day workshop tagged: “Stakeholders’ Engagement on Cassava Flour Inclusion in Wheat for Bread Baking,” on Tuesday in Lagos.
He urged the Federal Government to promote the initiative stressing that the process would reduce the price of bread at the long-run.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the programme was organised by ICSAN in partnership with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi.
NAN reports that the participants were drawn from Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ekiti and Akure.
The usage of 10 per cent high quality cassava flour and 90 per cent wheat flour were displayed to the participants at the workshop.
The participants were shown measurement, weighing, ingredients, dry mixing and complete mixing process.
Ladele called on stakeholders in the sector to embrace the inclusion of cassava in bread production adding that there should be synergy between the bakers and the cassava processors.
He said that the inclusion of cassava in bread making if well accepted would lead to 15 to 20 per cent reduction in the price of bread.
According to him, Nigeria produces about 60 million tonnes of cassava yearly and the largest producer of cassava in the world but the potential is still untapped.
“The war between Russia and Ukraine affects everybody and it is going to put pressure on current situation because even if you are looking at 10 per cent of cassava flour inclusion for bread making.
“The inclusion will save the country about two billion dollars on importation of wheat.
“The CBN governor said that over $20 billion is spent on wheat importation every year, so if 10 per cent is spent on cassava, we be saving lot of funds. About two billion dollars will be saved on importation of wheat.
“The flour millers are also lamenting that the price of wheat flour is very high and we can see the result from the bread we eat now.
“Bread is very expensive now because of our failure to include cassava in wheat for bread production.
“We need help and support from the CBN to increase capacity shortage, the market is there already, all we need to do is increase production and we need the support of CBN to achieve that feat,” he said.
Dr Jummai Adamu, the Director-General, FIIRO said that cassava remains the major solution to food security and industrial development of Nigeria.
Adamu was represented by Dr Dele Oyeku, Director, Extension and Linkage in the institute.
She said that FIIRO researchers over the years not only confirmed that High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) inclusion in wheat flour even up to 30 per cent was safe, but its benefits were also outstanding.
She listed the benefits to include, economic benefits, foreign exchange savings, wealth creation, job creation and growth of non-oil sector.
“It is my prayer that the legislation of cassava flour inclusion in wheat flour for bread and confectioneries baking is realised to justify the labour input of all stakeholders.
“It is our hope that the current efforts in legislation of wheat-cassava composite bread will sail through the National Assembly and signed into law,” she said.
Dr Oluwatoyin Oluwole, Director, Head of Food Technology Department, FIIRO, said that the problem confronting the sector was numerous.
Oluwole said that there was high potential gain incorporating high quality cassava flour into wheat flour for bread and confectionary products.
She added that bakers would make more profit from the inclusion.
“A 50kg bag of wheat cost about N34,000 now depending on the brand, while a bag of cassava cost N20,000.
“What we did was majorly recipe manipulation, you are not going to change your equipment being used for 100 per cent wheat flour.
“There will be more job opportunities for those that venture into cassava processing,” she said.
One of the participant, Miss Ronke Raman, a cassava processor representative from Ibadan, said that inclusion of cassava is laudable.
“I support the project but bakers must conduct blind testing with their customers to get feedbacks.
“Bakers need to carry out blind testing without disclosing the composition, so that the public or customers can learn about the composition and accept it.
“I have done this training before now, it is not new to me, but I think there is a need to create awareness to increase the level of acceptability. (NAN)
