About three varieties of the beta carotene cassava were launched by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina during the weekend at the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Abia State.
According to the minister, Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world, producing over 34 million metric tons of the crop.
He said the production of the improved varieties has placed Nigeria on the global map in terms research on micronutrient (vitamin a, iron, zinc and iodine) improvement in staple foods.
He said: "This successful effort is part of the drive of the Federal Government to transform agriculture; our focus is to create new markets for cassava and this include high quality cassava flour to be used in replacing some of the wheat flour being imported to produce bread; high fructose cassava syrup to replace the 200,000 metric tons of sugar currently being used in the juice manufacturing industry; dried cassava chips; and the production of ethanol.
"Our goal is to add another 17 million metric tons of cassava to our domestic food supply. The Agricultural Transformation Action Plan hopes to create 1.3 million jobs across the cassava value chains but producing more food is not enough, we must also ensure that there is enhanced food nutrition and health."
Acting Executive Director of the institute, Dr. Thomas Ezulike expressed confidence in the ability of NRCRI to continue to blaze the trail the area of improved crop both nutritionally and in resistance and adaption to changing climatic conditions.
He said: "NRCRI has transformed into a leading research centre of excellence for root and tuber crops of global repute and has blazed the trail of biotechnology through the establishment of a culture tissue laboratory, molecular breeding of root crops and confined field trial of genetically modified crop and recently bio fortification of staple crops."
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