Advertisement

…Enugu to add four million metric tonnes of cassava to become biggest producer of cassava in the country

…as Gov. Mbah commits to providing 100,000 hectares of land for Biotech park in Enugu

Advertisement

Chetanne Chinelo, Enugu

In line with the determination of his administration to move the current $4.4billion GDP of the state to $30billion, the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has committed to providing 100,000 hectares of land for a Biotechnology Park in Enugu to develop and export the 34 value chains of Cassava.

The governor made this known on the heels of a public-private partnership involving the Federal government, a private firm, Biosources and Technologies Limited and the Enugu State government for the establishment of the BioEthanol plant. 

Advertisement

Speaking to Pacesetter, the Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialization, Hon. Patrick Ubru, hinted that the Cassava BioEthanol project is at par with the vision of Governor Peter Mbah to eradicate hunger from Enugu by 2031.

In his words: “The establishment of the BioEthanol plant that uses Cassava has various economic benefits for Enugu State. 

“It will stimulate economic growth in Enugu State, creating massive job opportunities across the various stages. This actually resonates with the vision of Governor Peter Mbah to eradicate hunger from Enugu by 2031.

“We will be experiencing technology transfer and knowledge sharing, we will also experience waste utilization. We also expect a clean environment because carbon footprint will be reduced. We welcome this new technology of bioeconomy”, Ubru said. 

Advertisement

On his part the Managing Director of Biosources and Technologies Limited, the private sector involved in the project, Prof. Kenneth Ife, noted that the national project is intended to be a major strategic tool for diversifying the Nigerian economy.

He went on to stress that the commitment of the state governor to donating 100,000 hectares of land will translate to Enugu adding four million metric tonnes of cassava to become the biggest producer of cassava in the country.

“This project is a national project, a public-private partnership among the Federal government, Biosources and Technologies Limited and the Enugu State government. It’s a pilot project called Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development. It is intended to be a major strategic tool for diversifying the Nigerian economy 

Advertisement

“For the Southeast region, we are implementing it in Enugu as the mainstay of this project. The government contributes 40% of the required funds while the private sector contributes the remaining 60%. 

Continuing, Prof. Ife said “There’s the development of a Biotechnology Industrial Park in Egede, Udi LGA, Enugu State. It is an integrated effort making sure that we develop the 34 value chains of Cassava. We will ensure that everything produced in the value chain can be exported. 

“Enugu State has committed to planting 100,000 hectares of hybrid cassava varieties. The state may be adding four million metric tonnes of cassava, making it the biggest producer of cassava in the country”. 

Encouraging investors to take advantage of the initiative, the Special Adviser on Agriculture to the Enugu State governor, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, listed the gains that abound. 

“The Bioethanol project is meant to scale up cultivation of cassava that will be used at harvest to convert into bioethanol.

“The idea is to grow our bioeconomy sector in Enugu State.

“Biosources will supply us with high quality cassava stems while we develop the land, get the farmers and work in synergy to achieve the project.

“The government of Dr. Peter Mbah is doing everything to scale up agriculture in the state. We’re bringing in investors, we’re talking about large scale commercial agriculture. We’re also working on the Special Agro Processing Zone which is like a hub where industries processing agro products connect to an agricultural belt of production”, Ogbuekwe added.