Cassava farming and processing is at the center-stage of economic and grassroots industry in most towns and communities in Benue state. In places like Ogobia and other communities in the state, for example, attention are shifting from the age-long yam farming the people of the state are historically known for to cassava farming due to its current high demands for processing into staple foods like akpu,  lafu and most especially, garri.

 

In the town of Ogobia (also known as Ogobia-Ugboju) in the Otukpo Local Government Area, evidences of this are everywhere. In almost 3 out of every 10 compounds people are involved in one form of activity or the other in the cassava processing value chain. Heaps of cassava are readily found in many strategic places surrounded by  a labour force of  women, girls and boys busily peeling them for upward processing. After peeling, the tubers are moved to to the machines  for grating. Thereafter the grated cassava are bagged and arranged in layers on pressers for hours for fermentation and  de-watering.

After thoroughly sifting the half-dried grated cassava by the diligent hands of another segment of the labour force of young boys and girls, the frying, another major task that requires a great level of diligence and patience, eventually takes place. A large rectangular iron tray of about 4ft by 5ft in size called agbada by the locals is used to fry the garri. These laborious activities often last well into the nights each day for each batch which take a couple of days to complete.

 

Since the frying is always well done (or “fry-done”) it does not require spreading for drying in the sun, which makes the “ogobia garri” very neat and stone-free. They are afterwards packed in basins and/or bagged for transportation to the local market where there are ready middle-men waiting to receive them. Many of the garri producers are fond of saying that “You may go to the market with a hundred bags of garri, but you’ll never return without selling all of them.”

A Mass Shift to Cassava Production and Processing as an Emerging Industry

With a landmass of 33,955 square kilometers and a population of over 6 million people (2022), Benue state is known as the food basket of the nation owing to the vibrant agricultural life of its people with the attendant generous food crop production. Located at the north-central area of Nigeria, the state’s main geological formations are sandy-loam shelf basement complex and alluvial plains. These together with its location in the transition belt between the north and south ecologies and a favourable rainfall pattern account for its support for a wide variety of crops which include yam, cassava, rice, beans, guinea corn, maize, soya beans, millet, potato, sorghum etc.

 

Most of the people of the state are farmers with rich cultural heritage that is typical of most Nigerian ethnic groups. Famed for their cheerful and hospitable disposition, the people are highly industrious, particularly in the agrarian sector which engage about 75% of the population. In the past, a farmer in an average community in Benue State, whether farming at mere subsistent level, semi-commercial level or at a full commercial level, an individual was not considered a serious farmer if yam production was not his/her major farming activities. In recent times, however, the age-long culture of yam farming among the people seem to have changed as attention is swiftly being shifted from yam production to cassava as the “new bride.”

Cassava is now so highly prized and sought after for production of garri, fufu (akpu) and lafu, whereas yam that used to be the most prized and farmed crop for commercial purpose, is now farmed mainly for personal consumptions. According to the local farmers, “The income generated from yam production is today nowhere near the income generated from cassava production when the acreage, labour and resources involved in the farming of both are compared.”

 

Opportunities and Challenges in Cassava Processing

In recent times the importance placed on cassava by value chain experts and the respect accorded it by the local farmers, who now recognize its immense potentials, is soaring. However, apart from the good income already being generated from it by the local producers through garri, akpu and lafu production, cassava’s other industrial uses for which it is in high demands in the international market are yet to be tap fully into.

 

For example, one major observation you make as you take a stroll around the town of Ogobia-Ugboju is that the environments suffer from both the heaps of cassava peels found in many places within the town and the strongly smelling waters pressed out of the fermented cassava grates. It is unfortunate, therefore, that these two major by-products of cassava which are themselves viable raw materials in the cassava processing value chain, are left as wastes either due to ignorance or due to lack of resources or due to the combination of both reasons.

The challenge of not finding real economic uses for cassava peels is not peculiar to Ogobia garri producers alone. The problems are common to most garri producing communities across Nigeria. Yet, in the entire cassava processing value-chain both the peels and the liquids are raw materials with high enormous economic potentials. If the locals are trained on how to turn the peels to feeds for poultry and ruminant farm animals at industrial scale, the industry will employ far more than it is employing now. Again, if these factories are equipped with modern equipment, the liquids pressed out of the cassava would be extracted for industrial starch production instead of constituting nuisance to the environment.

Means of transporting cassava from farm to the processing centres as well as moinMeans of transporting cassava from farm to the processing centres as well as moving the finished garri to the market is being eased by the use of tricycle trucks as the popular China-made agro-tricycle trucks are seen everywhere on major roads in Ogobia town. Loaded to full capacity these mini-trucks convey cassava from farms to the many “peeling centres” that are full of daily workers laboring from dusk to dawn to get the cassava peeled for its next stage in the production value chain. However, more can still be done for them transportation-wise by making more of these trucks and larger vehicles available to them at discounted or even subsidized rate so as to lessen the costs and burden of transportation. This done, it will act to make the prices lesser in the market for the retailers and final consumers.g the finished garri to the market is being eased by the use of tricycle trucks as the popular China-made agro-tricycle trucks are seen everywhere on major roads in Ogobia town. Loaded to full capacity these trucks convey cassava from farms to the many “peeling centres” that are full of daily workers laboring from dusk to dawn to get the cassava peeled for its next stage in the production value chain. However, more can still be made done for them transportation wise by making these trucks and similar vehicles available to them at discounted or even subsidized rate so as to lessen the costs and burden of transportation. This done, it will act to make the prices lesser in the market for the retailers and final consumers.

Another area that is posing great challenge to the women is the enormous manual labours involved. The women lamented over the tedious work of peeling the tubers.  It takes a lot of time and efforts to get a heap of cassava peeled. Many of the labourers come with their children to assist them so as to finish their quotas and meet deadlines. They are paid just N300.00 for each heap which takes hours to peel. Better and improved peeling tools and equipment, according to them, will introduce speed and efficiency thereby increasing daily outputs.

 

A major area in the entire process that the women said they need help is the frying section. The heat and smoke from the fire are almost unbearable and hazardous to their health. If an improved modern and health-friendly method of frying garri are made available to them many other women, girls and youths will be attracted to the industry and this will go a long way in improving their livelihood and creating more jobs.

Our Recommendation

Our track records at DPat Foundation show how passionately and vigorously we have being pushing for the economic empowerment of women and youths, especially at the grassroots levels. By organizing grassroots women into co-operatives we have helped to bridge the gaps that often exist between them and organizations that are saddled with the tasks of empowering enterprising women financially at the grassroots. In view of this, we recommend that relevant government agencies, private organizations, international organizations and individuals should look into ways by which grassroots women and youths in places like Ogobia-Ubgoju and other fast growing communities in Benue and other states in our great nation can be empowered. With the provision of modern equipment and other incentives this industry will grow and improve and more jobs will created at the rural levels.

 

On our part at DPat Foundation, we are on ground as a non-profit organization to organize these rural women into co-operative groups thereby making them accountable in the use of any facilities made available to them.