Nigeria’s House of Representatives has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria to make it easier for cassava farmers to get small, quick loans that can help boost food supply and improve their earnings.
The lawmakers also want President Bola Tinubu to bring back the Presidential Cassava Initiative, a programme that once helped farmers process and sell cassava for both local use and export.
According to Hon. Canice Nwachukwu (APC, Imo), cassava is one of Nigeria’s most useful crops, turned into food, animal feed, and even industrial materials.
“With short-term loans and better machines, farmers can produce cleaner garri and fufu and earn more,” he said.
Nwachukwu explained that many cassava processors, mostly women, still work with crude tools and little financial help, which limits how much they can produce and sell.
To fix this, the House asked the Central Bank, Bank of Agriculture, and Bank of Industry to design quick-access credit for farmers. It also directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to train small farmers on modern cassava processing and packaging.
A committee was assigned to follow up on these decisions and report progress soon.
