Cavista Holdings holds workshop in boost for cassava industrialisation

Stakeholders in the agric sector have expressed optimism about the transformation that is expected to take place in Nigeria’s cassava industry in the near future.

This position was expressed during a workshop organised by Cavista Holdings and Agbeyewa Farms which was held recently at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, Ekiti State.

The event, held just a day after Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture’s visit to Agbeyewa Farms, brought together representatives from Cavista Holdings, Agbeyewa Farms, the Nigeria Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), Nigeria Cassava Industrialization Alliance (NCIA) and the Lagos Business School (LBS) among others.

Niyi Adebayo, the chief of staff to the Ekiti State Governor, represented the state government and highlighted ongoing initiatives to boost cassava production and agribusiness development.

Adebayo outlined the government’s land-clearing initiative, which has opened 5,000 hectares for young farmers adding that the state has introduced mechanization and agribusiness programs for over 3,000 youth, aligning with national goals to increase agricultural productivity and employment.

During the workshop, stakeholders engaged in in-depth discussions on agricultural financing, mechanization, logistics efficiency, and value addition, all geared toward positioning Nigeria as a leader in cassava processing.

A lecturer at Lagos Business School, Doyin Salami emphasised that farmer aggregation is critical to unlocking financing and improving productivity. By organizing smallholder farmers into structured groups, access to credit, mechanisation, and technical support can be significantly improved.

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Also speaking, Nasir Ingawa, head of partnerships, the Nigeria Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), stated that limited access to financing remains one of the biggest barriers to productivity and industrial-scale processing.

Ingawa said to bridge this gap, NADF would work to develop tailored financing solutions that will enable smallholder farmers and agribusinesses to scale operations, adopt modern agricultural practices, and integrate into larger value chains.

The workshop concluded with a commitment to concrete action plans across four key areas: strengthening farmer aggregation which involves developing structured out grower models to increase financing access, mechanization adoption, and productivity.

It commits to scaling up processing infrastructure i.e mobilising investment for industrial-scale processing plants to expand cassava’s value-added potential.

There are also plans of improving logistics and market access that is, addressing inefficiencies in storage and transportation to reduce post-harvest losses.

And policy and investment facilitation which involves engaging policymakers and financial institutions to create an enabling environment for cassava industrialization.

“The Cavista Holdings-led workshop has set a clear path forward for transforming Nigeria’s cassava industry,” the company said in a statement.

“With continued investment and policy support, Nigeria is well-positioned to become a leader in cassava processing, unlocking billions in economic value, creating jobs, and strengthening food security,” it added.