Cassava Production, Utilization and Job Creation in Kogi State, Nigeria: A Review
2020
Alhassan, G.A.
Cassava production in Kogi State, Southern Guinea Savannah Region of Nigeria was purely subsistent about twodecades ago, but now it has assumed the status of a cash crop, providing food, employment and income in asustainable manner to millions of people in the State. The cassava value chain in the State has been able to meetthe challenges of the nation through job creation, wealth generation and industrialization. Gari processingfactory was the highest employer of labour (75 persons), while cassava production employed the least number (1person). The major food products from cassava in the State are gari, fermented flour, unfermented flour and akpu.From the total harvest of fresh cassava roots in the state, about 36.57% were processed into gari, while 36.38%and 24.33% were processed into fermented flour and unfermented flour respectively. Majority (59.49%) of thepopulation of Kogi State consumed cassava products at least 1-2 times in a week, while about 1.36% did notdepend on any cassava product as food. A two year cycle of fresh cassava root glut has been a major problemfacing producers which could be reduced through increased diversification of processing options, expandedmarkets and informed end users. Relevance of the State, in the cassava industry can be achieved by an increasedarea cropped to cassava and yield per hectare with more emphasis on production for industrial uses.
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