Empowering
church people through cassava farming and processing
I am the humble General
Overseer of the House of Prayer Ministries for All Nations worldwide. I am also
the National President of Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA). I desire
to share my vision for Cassava Farming with fellow believers and indeed Church
leaders in order for them to see the potentials in Cassava Project for
individuals and collective prosperity of Nigeria.
There are many Church
leaders today that have a heavy burden in their heart to empower their
miserable followers in good business. For the reason that most successful
Church leaders have academic background, their passion to empower has led them
to establish Schools and Universities. Unfortunately cost of education in these
Universities are beyond that which the greater percentage of their followers
can afford. It is my belief that, reading through this message will inspire
them on how they can use Cassava Project to help and empower their followers.
Cassava is that wonderful
crop that provides numerous local food varieties to the Nigerian people. Foods
derived from cassava include, Gari, Fufu, Lafun, Tapioka, Starch and others.
Cassava is also raw material to Ethanol, Industrial Starch and Cassava Flour.
These three items are raw materials to numerous utility products with limitless
domestic and International market potentials. This is to say that cassava can
trigger Industrial Revolution in Nigeria such that every Senatorial District
can have very viable Cassava Processing Factory and engage millions of
Nigerians in Cassava Farming and Processing.
Our Dependence on Oil.
Oil provides over 80% of
revenue to the government of Nigeria. Recently there are indications that the
reign of oil as money provider for Nigeria will soon end, in that oil has been
discovered in large quantity in nearly all other West African Countries.
Besides, Countries like Brazil, Columbia, Thailand and others now power their
automobile with Ethanol which is a renewable energy. America, the major market
for Nigeria oil has discovered more oil. America is planning to reduce
drastically her dependence on imported oil. We need to know that Malaysia that
took her first palm seed from Nigeria now make from palm products alone an
income that is more than double what Nigeria make from oil yearly.
All the above are my
reasons for this enlightment campaign as to why our nation should embrace Cassava Farming and use cassava
as alternative source of revenue for Nigeria Nation. Fortunately, cassava can
be cultivated in the 36 States of Nigeria and also at FCT.
Empowerment of the people
through Cassava Farming only requires acquisition of large expanse of
cultivable land and clearing the bush. The land will be allocated to the
participating farmers in blocks of 5, 10, 20 hectares according to individual
ability. Farming system will be mechanized, a situation that will lead to a
high yield of not less than 30mt and above per hectare. If one hectare yields
30mt, 10 hectares shall yield 300mt. Sold at N10,000 per ha, the farmer
realizes 3 million Naira from 10 hectares.
Finance
The Nigeria Cassava
Growers Association (NCGA) will arrange finance for cultivation process for
every farmer through a tripartite arrangement that include Farmers, Off-takers
and the Banks. This program is already in practice. It is also possible for
Church Institutions to install Cassava Processing Plants in the vicinity of the
farms.
Market Potentials
As I said earlier, market
for Cassava products is limitless. For example, Cassava Bread requires 3,300mt
of Cassava Flour daily, if we should include 20% Cassava Flour in our bread. This
is to say Cassava Roots requirement daily is 13,200mt. In 320 working days of
the year, it is 4,224,000mt. As for Industrial Starch, over 10million mt of
Cassava is required while Ethanol can consume another 10 million mt. If and where our cassava can be produced
cheaply enough in order to have favourable competition in the world market, and
where 5 million hectares out of the 84 million hectares of arable land in Nigeria
is devoted to Cassava Cultivation, adequate market is assured. This will
translate to 40 trillion Naira in a year.
We all know that the Lord
Jesus cares. It was His caring heart that led Him to feed 5,000 people with 5
loaves of bread and two fishes. Our Church leaders are therefore expected to
care for the wellbeing of their members.
The present government has
opened a wonderful opportunity for farmers to prosper. The government is ready
to join hand with various Institutions to clear cultivable land in hundreds and
thousands of hectares across the nation. Opportunities abound to set up Cassava
Milling Factories with ease. Finance of cultivation process with 75% CBN
guarantee of loans is also available while interest rate on loan for Cassava
Farming has been drastically reduced to a single digit of 8%. Added to the
above is the willingness of many foreign investors to collaborate with Nigeria
Institutions in Cassava Project. Moreover subsidies of various dimensions are
available for both Cassava Farming and Processing.
I therefore throw the challenge to various
Institutions including Public and Private Schools, Christian and Islamic
Institutions, Corporate and Cooperative bodies, Retirees and various
individuals to register immediately with Nigeria Cassava Growers Association
directly through the following Banks;
Account name: Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA) Bank Account
No
Union Bank Plc
0037233874
First Bank Plc
2020748041
Zenith Bank Plc
1010766357
Unity
Bank 0020742614
Meetings and Seminars will
be held for further enlightenment of the program. National office of NCGA is
1019 Gimbiya Street Area 11 Garki Abuja. Phone numbers that can be contacted
for further enquiries are:
National Vice President - 08032110025
National Secretary - 08037125019
National Treasurer - 08035958998
National PRO - 08034590374
Assistant National
Secretary - 08065474621
Desk Officer - 08037201126
Email
address is nigeriacassavagrowers@gmail.com
Pastor Segun Adewumi
08039425631
pastorsegunadewumi@gmail.com
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