Benue Govt. partners Synergos to establish cassava peel processing factories ---Official


 The Benue State Ministry of Agriculture says it is partnering Synergos to establish cassava peel processing factories across the state.
Mr Lucky Izobo, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics of Ministry of Agriculture, Benue, said this on Friday in Makurdi in a meeting he held with stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
According to him, the state government engaged in discussion with the Agricultural Vision Group (AVG) and the Agricultural Innovative Group (AIG) organised by Synergos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the Mega processing factory would be situated in Oracle Farms at the Industrial Layout Makurdi.
He said that the cassava peels would be processed into animal feeds, stressing that cassava peel feeds had a lot of nutritional value to animals and relatively cheaper compared to other feeds.
``There are enough cassava roots and peels in the state to drive the needed innovation’’, he said.
The State Coordinator of Synergos, Mr Michael Agon, said that the factories would be established across the state for easy access.
He added that it would also help in the timely processing of the peels, so that they would not be left unprocessed for more than a day.
Agon explained that the peels had to be processed because if allowed to be unprocessed beyond a day they might be contaminated thereby causing harm to the animals.
He added that the cassava peel feeds would reduce the consumption of other feeds that were very expensive.
Agon noted that this would help farmers to save some money as a result of using cassava peel feeds.
The Chairman, Igyo-Ali Farms, Mr Zaki Igyo-Ali, said that with the coming of the cassava processing factories they would be making money from selling the peels.
Igyo-Ali, stressed that women should be sensitised to wash their cassava before peeling them.
Mr Clement Tume, Desk Officer of FADAMA III, urged the state government to support any organisation that had viable ideas that could trigger development in the state.
Tume said that the state government should give its support through creating enabling environment for organisations to thrive without hitches.
Mr Terfa Yalu, President, Food Basket Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, called on the government to review customary laws, particularly those that prevent women from acquiring or inheriting land.
According to him, this law is hindering women from venturing into large scale farming.
Former Manager of Lobi Farms, Mr Fidelis Akoso,advised farmers not to depend on government for assistance but rather should make do with their lean resources.
Akoso urged farmers to be advancing gradually because government's assistance was not easy to come by these days. 

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