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 expand Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
The lawmakers also called on President Bola Tinubu to reconstitute the defunct Presidential Committee on Cassava Initiative to enhance farmers’ welfare and reposition the cassava subsector for export competitiveness.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Canice Nwachukwu (APC, Imo) during Wednesday’s plenary session.
Nwachukwu described cassava cultivation as one of Nigeria’s most organized and promising agricultural ventures, supporting food production, livestock feed, and industrial applications. He added that cassava by-products such as garri have become major export commodities contributing to foreign exchange earnings.
“If cassava processing machines and short-term loans are provided, farmers can transform cassava into garri and fufu hygienically and efficiently. This will boost market value, improve food quality, and help farmers contribute more to national GDP,” Nwachukwu said.
He noted that cassava, grown in all 36 states and the FCT, has multiple economic and nutritional uses from food and animal feed to pharmaceuticals and industrial manufacturing.
The lawmaker stressed that easy access to credit and modern processing tools would revolutionise the cassava subsector, boost farmer productivity, and strengthen Nigeria’s food security drive.
However, he expressed concern that despite being Africa’s top cassava producer, Nigeria still processes about 90% of its yield locally using rudimentary equipment, often under poor hygienic conditions.
Following deliberations, the House resolved that the CBN, Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, and other financial institutions should develop mechanisms to guarantee farmers access to short-term credit facilities.
It also urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to train farmers on modern cassava production, processing, and packaging techniques to enhance competitiveness.
The Committees on Agricultural Production and Services and Legislative Compliance were directed to monitor implementation and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
