AATF-led coalition ignites Nigeria’s cassava bread ambition – EnviroNews

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A major agricultural coalition has scaled up operations in Nigeria to accelerate the commercial adoption of cassava flour in bread production, launching a coordinated effort to slash the nation’s heavy reliance on imported wheat.

Led by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the initiative is actively tackling long-standing supply chain bottlenecks by training local processors to meet strict industrial standards, directly supporting Nigeria’s national policy targeting a 20 percent substitution of cassava flour in commercial baking.

Mr. Samuel Ogunleye, AATF project coordinator, Cassava Mechanisation and Agro-Processing Project, said at a recent training of processors that the project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the Fund for the Promotion of Innovation in Agriculture, aims to promote cassava value addition and improve farmers’ livelihood.

According to him, AATF is partnering a diverse network of national and international partners, linking the scientific expertise of the National Root Crop Research Institute and the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute with the mechanization capabilities of Agridrive Limited and CLAYUCA Corporation to ensure Nigeria takes maximum advantage in equipping processors with the right knowledge.

“Crucially, the project has partnered directly with the Master Bakers Association to ensure that the final product aligns perfectly with commercial market demands,” he added.

Historically, the widespread adoption of cassava flour by Nigerian bakeries has been choked by inconsistent product quality and fragmented, unreliable supply lines.

Mr. Ogunleye emphasised that upgrading local processor capacity is the critical link required to resolve these legacy bottlenecks and build a sustainable value chain. He revealed that the project has already trained over 500 processors, with a firm target to reach 1,000 before the project concludes.

During the practical sessions in Oyo State, participants were exposed to modern processing techniques and coached on how to successfully bake a diverse range of cassava-infused goods, including standard white bread, coconut bread, fruit bread, and pastries. Mr. Nura Musa, a trainer representing the Master Bakers Association, noted that the programme is effectively bridging the historic gap between rural cassava farms and industrial kitchens.

Musa noted that while inconsistent quality and limited technical expertise previously hindered cassava integration into mainstream baking, the ongoing capacity-building efforts are firmly reversing the trend, providing small-scale bakers and commercial bakeries with a reliable, standardised raw material.

He said that the economic implications of this shift extend far beyond the baking industry, adding that successfully substituting a fifth of the nation’s baking flour with locally grown cassava will yield massive macroeconomic benefits, helping to significantly reduce Nigeria’s steep wheat import bill, conserve vital foreign exchange, and spark fresh economic opportunities for rural entrepreneurs.

For the local processors participating in the programme, the impact is already tangible; many noted that the training has immediately boosted their productivity and expanded their market access, successfully transitioning cassava from a traditional backyard subsistence crop into a lucrative, high-demand industrial raw material.