Edo signs tripartite agreement to assist 455 cassava farmers

The Edo State Government said it has signed a tripartite agreement with the Elephant Group and Heritage Agro Allied Foods (H2AFoods), of United States (U.S), to strengthen the cassava value-chain, to benefit not less than 445 farmers across the state.

During the agreement signing, held at the Government House, Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Joe Okojie, said the cassava project would span the three senatorial districts, while financing of the project has been secured and disbursed to farmers.

“238 hectares (ha) of land will be utilised in Edo North; 223 ha in Edo Central and 206 ha in Edo South. The farmers have been aggregated across the three districts and each farmer will get one and a half ha of farmland.”He said government would assist the farmers in land clearing, and provision of inputs, while planting would commence at the end of April.

“We are bringing all the players across the value-chain together and we have secured the loan for each farmer under the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP). The state will be helping to de-risk land clearing and provide off-takers for the cassava farmers.”

Executive Director, Elephant Group, Akin Ogunbiyi said the company is determined to transform cassava flour into industrial food ingredient and packaged food in Nigeria and Africa at large. He explained that the company has processing centres across the state and would buy directly from farmers.

“We want to add value to what the farmers are producing and are guaranteeing the off-take for the products. We have our processors in Edo North, Central, and South senatorial districts. Each is located close to the farmers,” Ogunbiyi added.