The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to facilitate easy access to short-term loans for cassava farmers as part of efforts to strengthen food security and boost the agricultural value chain.
Lawmakers also called on President Bola Tinubu to reconstitute the defunct Presidential Committee on Cassava Initiative to enhance the welfare of cassava farmers and reposition the subsector for global competitiveness.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Canice Nwachukwu (APC, Imo) during Wednesday’s plenary session.
Presenting the motion, Nwachukwu described cassava farming as one of Nigeria’s most organised and promising agricultural ventures, with applications across food production, livestock feed, and industrial manufacturing.
He noted that cassava by-products such as garri have become major export commodities, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.
Cassava, cultivated in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, serves vital nutritional and economic roles, with its derivatives—such as starch and peels—used in pharmaceuticals, animal feed, and various industries.
Nwachukwu argued that access to short-term loans and modern processing technology could transform the cassava subsector by improving productivity, product quality, and farmers’ income.
“If cassava farmers have access to modern processing equipment and credit facilities, they can produce garri and fufu hygienically and at scale,” he said. “This will enhance market value, ensure food quality, and enable greater contributions to the national GDP.”
He further emphasized that Nigeria could achieve deeper economic diversification by harnessing cassava’s export potential as a sustainable alternative to crude oil for foreign exchange earnings.
However, Nwachukwu expressed concern that despite being one of the continent’s largest cassava producers, Nigeria still processes about 90 percent of its harvest at the cottage level using outdated methods.
“Most processors are women working in poor conditions, with limited access to credit and modern equipment,” he said. “These constraints lead to low productivity, poor packaging, and minimal profit along the value chain.”
Following deliberations, the House urged the CBN to direct the Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, and other financial institutions to create mechanisms that guarantee cassava farmers access to short-term credit facilities.
The lawmakers also called on the Federal Government to revive the Presidential Committee on the Cassava Initiative Programme—originally launched in 2002 as the Composite Cassava Flour Initiative—to promote value addition, research, and farmer support.
Additionally, the House mandated the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to conduct extensive training for smallholder farmers on cassava production, processing, and packaging to raise quality and competitiveness.
The Committees on Agricultural Production and Services and Legislative Compliance were instructed to monitor implementation and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
