The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) has unveiled plans to train five million Nigerian youths in cassava cultivation through its Cassava Value Chain Initiative.
Announcing the initiative, the Director-General of the NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, highlighted the agency’s goal of harnessing Nigeria’s vast cassava production potential to spur economic growth and development.
“Nigeria accounts for over 20% of global cassava production, making it the world’s largest producer,” Emeje noted.
He emphasised that the initiative aims to create jobs, generate wealth, and support the pharmaceutical and natural medicine industries by leveraging cassava’s value chain.
The program will involve collaboration with stakeholders to establish large-scale cassava farms and modern processing facilities.
Emeje, a nanotechnology expert, explained that the project would focus on producing pharmaceutical-grade starch and developing innovative natural medicine products.
“Our strategic approach includes advancing research to produce high-quality starch for pharmaceutical use and creating products that combine cassava-derived starch with natural ingredients,” he said.
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