₦airaland Forum

DECIDING THE FUTURE OF CASSAVA-BASED BREAD IN NIGERIA

I was so excited when I read today that the Nigerian Senate is once again pushing for the inclusion of High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) at 20% in production of flour meant for bread and confectioneries production in the country. I even learnt that the bill has passed second reading. This is a very good development. It is a good hope, not only for cassava farmers and HQCF processors but also to our nation as well. I just hope that the vested interest of certain stakeholders in the industry, who worked against the scheme in the past will not prevail this time around.

At the level of the Industrial Cassava Stakeholders' Association of Nigeria, we have done series of demonstrations on High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) inclusion at 10% and 20%with wheat flour for bread production. The produced bread had no significant difference in organoleptic properties when compared with bread produced from 100% wheat flour. This also has significant reduction in the production cost, which will definitely make such bread sell cheaper in the market. The Association has even leaped further to train many bread bakers on the require technique for the production of HQCF-based bread.

The inadequate availability of cassava tubers in 2023 and 2024, which made cassava derivatives like HQCF to be equally expensive and nearly priced at same level with wheat flour was one of the major challenge that limited the full embracement of the inclusion by many bakers. This is expected to be surmounted as cassava cultivation in 2024 against 2025 harvest has significantly increased. This new development has once again capped the fact that there is a great hope for cassava farmers in Nigeria. That is why I keep admonishing that we must all rise up and plant cassava.

Another challenge that was well noted by many bakers in the usage of HQCF-based flour for bread production is that the mixing requires usage of hot water, which makes the usage of mechanical mixer very crucial, but unfortunately many of the grassroot bakers are still engaging in hand mixing. I pose that a scheme of national interest like this, which will also deliver a cost reduction of up to 15% -20% needs to be embraced and supported with necessary capital investment. Beside, we did not use hot water in any of the demonstrations we did in the past at ICSAN.

I need to state here that training of interested bakers on the usage of HQCF in bread and confectioneries production, organized by Industrial Cassava stakeholders Association of Nigeria (ICSAN) still continues across different parts of the country in year 2025. Bakers who are interested in this training can reach out to the Association through e-mail on info@icsan.com.ng or info@icsanng@gmail.com. You can also learn more about ICSAN and its activities by visiting www.icsan.com.ng.

The past policy in this direction made during the era of President Obasanjo and was further promoted during the period of President Goodluck Jonathan were fantastic, but unfortunately suffered full embracement at execution. I can still recall the effort made by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in canvasing the scheme at different grassroot stakeholders’ levels. There were different complaints, excuses and claims at different quarters. No matter what has happened in the past, for the interest of our dear Nation, we must all allow this scheme to work this time around.

This is a call to action for the active Industrial producers of High-Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) and other promoters of the product usage to deliberately seek and recruit new usage routes so as to jump over the prevailing obstacles that are currently limiting the product penetration. The approach, which involves re-targeting and positioning of HQCF as a Consumer good (in FCMG products categories) is meant to complement efforts being deployed in promoting HQCF as industrial products for end-user manufacturing companies.
This proffered route which is meant to deliberately recognize and attract local users at different homes, commercial caterers, confectioneries makers and bread bakers, will ultimately increase popularity of HQCF inclusion among Nigeria populace who are presently craving for cheaper product alternatives owing to the present economic hardship. increasing HQCF inclusion in the production of cakes, puff-puff, home-made cookies and bread etc is a latent demand that has to be prompted among this target market. And this can only be achieved through the deliberate efforts of the HQCF producers and promoters.

Positive testimonies from different test productions and organoleptic assessment of bread baked with HQCF inclusions are enough motivations for HQCF promoters to further push for the product usages in this direction without minding the setback and limitations posed from some quarters; owing to different vested interests. The blame games and excuses all have to stop at this juncture that our Nation needs our collective commitment and efforts in order to regain her economic strength.
This product demand-pull strategy aimed at local end-users though comes with its envisaged logistic hurdles for the promoters, but not unsurmountable, would eventually increase sales volume and also create more excitements and funs as it opens new creativities and ideas of food culture among our people. There is a strong belief that this idea would be widely embraced as more usage patterns evolve as we progress.

With the belief that there will be improvement with the present situation with raw material and HQCF production among manufactures, which is currently affecting product market as stakeholders continue to implement different ongoing targeted solutions to the supply challenges, highlighted below are few of the executable initiatives to drive the local usage demand pull for HQCF;

1. Popularize HQCF inclusion and usages by sharing recipes for home baking and confectioneries production. Recipes and production procedures to be printed on product packs and promoted on social media platforms of the HQCF manufacturers and promoters.

2. Directly engage commercial users like bakers, confectioneries makers and caterers at localized levels to encourage usages. Increase promotion of trial production and test sampling at relevant events involving target users. Promoters need to partner more with relevant Bakers and Caterers Associations across other states in Nigeria as part of the efforts to promote HQCF usages. Sponsored adaptors and third-party engagement approaches through the Association could be used to achieve this.

3. Drive usage trials through pictorial and video demonstrations of production procedures on social media platforms. Video clips and testimonials of the adaptors to be shared during relevant programs and exhibitions.

4. Increase production and distributions of easy-buy pack sizes. HQCF manufacturers are to include 1kg, 2kg and 5kg in their product package offers that will be easier to access by small scale commercial bakers and caterers.

5. Increase product accessibility for home usages by deliberately pushing for retail shelf presence of the small pack sizes at the neighborhood stores and encouraging bulk breaking wholesales market. This could be driven through targeted trade promotion exercises and campaign.

6. Introduce and decisively communicate an end-users' reward system to encourage localized usages. Encourage end-users to share their recipes and production clips online to be rewarded accordingly. Create social media interactive forums for the end-users to promote usages.

The execution of this scheme is a joint responsibility of the government, HQCF manufacturers and other promoters at different levels. it will require absolute commitment from all direct stakeholders. Hopefully, relevant interventions from other concerned organizations would be attracted when the program’s successes begin to manifest.

Beyond the manufacturers, embracing HQCF inclusion would translate to more profit to the local commercial users as the production cost is reduced. It would also enable final consumers to spend lesser to buy more quantity of food products made from HQCF inclusion. As import substitution product, the forex demand for importation of wheat would also reduce which will ultimately help relieve the nation of its current economic stress.

We are already aware that a thriving cassava derived product substitution strategy in Nigeria will impact the markets of several grain producing countries around the world and their resistant reactions in this regard is envisaged and understandable. Only a patriotic and nationalistic agenda on industrial cassava utilizations from a government who is deliberately focused, with forceful and strategic approaches would help achieve this National Economic Freedom.

When the government makes the right policies in this direction, stand by it to be excellently executed and we Nigerians as a people embrace the process and its products wholeheartedly, THAT IS WHEN WE ARE ALL READY FOR THE ECONOMIC FREEDOM THAT WE ALL DESIRE.

Kazeem Lamidi
+2348100975775