The Nation Newspaper

Tag: flour

  • ‘Sorghum flour’ll address food insecurity, economic challenges’

    ‘Sorghum flour’ll address food insecurity, economic challenges’

     A new research to address grassroots problems and reduce food importation, while promoting food security has been found in sorghum flour.

    This was made known at a press conference on the outcome of the research on composite sorghum flour at Bayero University, Kano.

    Following the findings, Director of the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA), Bayero University Kano, Prof Jibrin Mohammed Jibrin, has advised Nigerians to change their diet to sorghum to improve their health and promote food security in the country.

    The research project: “Sustainable Packaging Solution for Composite Sorghum (SUSPND),” is a collaborative effort by the Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Bayero University Kano, International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), University of Reading United Kingdom and Tazig Nigeria Ltd Kano.

    The project work is being funded by GCRF AgriFood Africa Innovation Awards Round 6, the researchers said.

    Prof Jibrin said the research was initiated to reduce importation, while promoting indigenous foods such as composite sorghum.

    “Our traditional foods, which are more nutritious and easier to get, have been neglected,” Prof Jibn said.

    Lead researcher CDA, Dr Hakeem Ajeigbe, told the audience that consumption of Sorghum flour would reduce poverty, increase economic prosperity especially women and children, as well as address challenges in food processing, distribution and storage.

    He noted that the project will not only address the challenges in food processing, storage and distribution, but will address the major issues in food loss and waste.

    “This has the potential of reducing poverty and increasing economic prosperity, especially for women and children,” he said.

    Dr. Ajeigbe noted that the research will improve the availability and accessibility of safe healthy, nutritious and sustainable local food, helping to meet the environmental challenges of climate change and resource scarcity.

    He explained that “the Global Challenge Support Fund is a fund whereby the UK government links research institutes in developing countries and this project is a follow-up of a similar one last year, where we looked at several combinations of sorghum, legumes and cereals.”

    Head of Department of Food Science and Technology BUK, Dr Hauwa Ladi-Yusuf, said the composite sorghum flour with soyabeans and small cassava targets all age groups especially diabetic patients’.

    The Country Director, ICRISAT, Dr Ignatius Angarawai, advised against consuming hybrid foods that cause cancer.

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    “The composite sorghum flour is a complete nutrient for diabetes and old aged people,” said Chief Executive Officer TAZIJ Nigeria Limited, Hauwa Muhammad.

    “Tuwo, a sorghum-based stiff porridge and a staple of the Nigerian diet, is rich in carbohydrates, fibre and essential micronutrients (Fe and Zn).

    “Though low in protein, its protein is still higher than most cereals and root and tubers. Sorghum based products can be used to improve the nutrient status of a population already at sub-optimal level, with high incidence of diet-related diseases e.g., anaemia, stunting.

    “Since the addition of soybean renders the flour susceptible to oxidation and reduces

    shelf-life, this project focuses on establishing an effective pre-treatment and packaging solution to ensure stability and extended shelf-life, by testing 6-8 different packaging films which exclude moisture and sunlight, thereby preventing the development of moulds, the onset of rancidity yet maintaining organoleptic quality.

    “The project also delivers impact by improving the availability and accessibility of safe, healthy, nutritious and sustainable local food, helping to meet the environmental challenges of climate change and resource scarcity,” she said.

  • Flour miller commission N8m equipment in Yabatech

    Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), has taken delivery of equipment worth N8m donated to the institution by Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN).

    The Rector, Dr. Margaret Kudirat Ladipo, who thanked the donor for the gesture, used the opportunity to seek more support from corporate bodies and industrialists so as to continue to fulfil the mandate of the institution.

    In attendance were:  a representative of Dangote Flour Mill Mr. Kwaku Boateng; Yabatech Deputy Rector (Academics) Dr. Olufemi Oyelola and his counterparts (Administration), Mr. Taofeek Omobayo Raheem; Registrar Ms Charity Amakapabo, Librarian Mrs. Taye Adebowale, among others.

    Ladipo said: “We need the support of well meaning people at a critical time like this so that our goal to produce graduates for the global market and entrepreneurs would be fully realised.

    “As an institution, Yabatech has continued to forge ahead in improving skills development through the adoption of best practices and teaching methodologies in advanced economies,” she added.

    Ladipo noted that the commissioning of the items, which coincided with the ninth graduation of participants at the ‘Master Bakers’ course run by Yabatech  Department of Food Technology, is a sufficient signal that the items would improve the institution’s internally generated revenue.

    Managing Director Honeywell Flour Mills Plc. and FMAN vice chairman Mr Lanre Jaiyeola, said the donation formed part of the association’s corporate social responsibility.

    According to him, improving the capacity and efficiency of master bakers would directly improve FMAN’s business.

    “We recognise the good work Yabatech is doing and as you continue to improve, we will do more. This is just the beginning. It is our prayer that Yabatech continues to soar higher, so that we are encouraged to render more assistance. We are a national association, and as such, we plan to repeat this feat in other geopolitical zones,” he said.

    Group Managing Director (GMD), Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr. Paul Gbededo, said bread, a staple food in Nigeria, has come to stay because of its popularity.

    “It is therefore important to train users of flour on the best practices because if not properly prepared, flour could turn to poison.”

    Gbadedo, an alumnus of Yabatech, charged the alumni association to reach out to old students of the institution for support.

    Head of Department of Food Technology, Mr. Peter Okolie, thanked FMAN for the donation, promising to put the equipment to judicious use.

  • Giving cassava flour its due

    Giving cassava flour its due

    The campaign to make cassava flour part of  bread  formation is facing  challenges. Consumers are still not convinced  of  its nutritional benefit,  so  it has not  been accorded the technological or culinary attention it deserves.  As the importance of nutrition-sensitive agriculture rises, stakeholders are working to ‘mainstream’ nutrition into cassava flour and bread. A workshop in Lagos  organised  by  the  International  Institute of Tropical Agriculture(IITA) attempted  to  address it.  DANIEL ESSIET  reports.

    Cassava is a staple food for over 50 million Nigerians. It offers the cheap source of food calories and the highest yield per unit area. More than 80 per cent of the crop is used for food. Indeed, the potential of the crop is large with its multiple roles as famine reserve, food and cash crop, industrial raw material and livestock feed.

    While   wheat substitution in bread is seen  in theory as a huge potential market with the capacity to pull industrialisation of cassava, reports from the market said   the inclusion of  cassava flour,in bread,   is   less widely accepted. While some activists reject it as poisonous, consumers are  showing strong preference for 100 per cent wheat bread and biscuits.

    Publicly, consumers have expressed doubts on  its nutritional importance especially  in  bread composition. With the backlash, stakeholders believe the way forward is addressing the fears if cassava flour is going to have a competitive  edge  in the market.

    This requires looking   at   how science and technology can be mobilised to make cassava flour highly nutritious to make it a quality component with wheat in bread formulation.

    A one-day  workshop on : Enhancing  the  competitiveness of  high  quality  cassava flour  value  chain in West Africa, organised  by  International  Institution of Tropical Agriculture(IITA)  in Lagos  attempted  to  address  this.

    Addressing the forum, the  Director-General ,IITA,Dr  Nteranya Sanginga, said  cassava  is  critical to solving some of the most pressing health and nutrition problems, reduce hunger and expand economic opportunities for people while also needing to produce significantly more food.

    Represented  by  the  Project Leader, Sustainable  Weed  Management Technique for Cassava System in Nigeria, IITA,Dr  Alfred Dixon, Sanginga  said  cassava  flour  can  function well  in bread   to  address  malnutrition –whether from lack of food or insufficient nutrients.

    He said  the   institute  was  concerned  about   advancing   the well-being and prosperity of farmers  through  transforming agriculture, by  improving  the productivity and performance of  cassava to   promote opportunities for people   to succeed economically.

    Dixon,  said the two IFAD-funded projects were timely in view of Africa’s comparative advantage in cassava production.

    Sanginga described cassava as a poverty fighter, and stressed that improving the utilisation of the crop, and scaling up/out processing technologies would help Africa address the issue of poverty and hunger on the continent.

    “Africa has a comparative advantage in cassava production… so let us use cassava to get what we want,” he said in Lagos at the launch of the projects

    Likewise, Head, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology/Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, Prof  Ibok  Oduro,  said  improving  the nutrition capacities  of  cassava  flour  would  help  in the search for solutions to  pressing food issues.

    Besides, she  sees tremendous opportunities  with  efforts  to  substitute cassava flour  in bread.

    More widespread uses of  cassava  flour  will   address  malnutrition.

    While it is an opportunity for West Africa  to make  a headway,  develop economically, feed the people and improve  food security, she believes, the effort requires more investment.

    Speaking on  formulation of food guidelines, Prof Oduro  said  the nutrition field here has begun to flourish, resulting in new products such as high-quality cassava  flour.

    The Executive Director, National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCIR), Umudike, Abia State, Dr  Julius Okonkwo,  said    his  institute  has  worked  with IITA and farmers  to   address the challenges in the cassava value chain. These include increasing and stabilising production so that farmers can supply cassava to the processing industry. This requires the development and distribution of high-yielding varieties and better growing methods.

    Project Leader,Improving  Quality, Nutrition and Health Impacts of Inclusion of Cassava Flour  in Bread Formulation in West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana), Dr  Bussie Maziya-Dixon,  said  with the increasing interest in cassava, there  is  need  to   address the  nutritional problems of the crop  with  interventions to ensure balanced diets or attainment of acceptable nutritional status.

    Similarly, the Coordinator, Cassava Value Chain, Regional Hub for East Africa, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Tanzania, Dr. Adebayo Abasss said cassava is an important crop.

    He  said  the production of HQCF requires a conscious adherence to good manufacturing practice (GMP) in order to obtain a product of desirable quality. Non-compliance to GMP, according  to him, will not produce the high-grade cassava flour needed by manufacturers.

    Therefore,  manufacturers  of  cassava  flour should  meet the required quality specifications.

    Consequently,  he  said enhancing  the  competitiveness of  high  quality  cassava flour  value  chain in West Africa workshop  was  designed   to  reduce  poverty and  improve  food  security.

    Most organisations agree cassava  is vital for ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

    Now, in a new and concerted push, they  are together taking steps to marshal the power of science, boost cassava flour production and put more money into farmers’ pockets.

    One of these organisations is International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

    Senior Programme Officer, Grants Department, IFAD, Dr  Malu Ndavi    said cassava is an important food crop.

    Through the support  of his organisation, Ndavi said  wide adoption of high-yielding varieties and better pest management have resulted in a sharp rise in production.

    He  said  IFAD has invested as much as  $110 million in the cassava value chains in the four major producer countries in Western and Central Africa: Benin, Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria.

    For him, Africa has the potential to feed itself, and  for this reason, IFAD has put small farmers at the centre of all it efforts to enable them increase their income, improve their livelihood and lift themselves out of poverty.

    What  is  required  to unlock cassava’s  potential, according to him, particularly for small farms  are  improved seed varieties, soil fertility enhancement practices and efficient use of water—both for rain-fed and irrigated methods of farming.

    The Coordinator,Cassava Value Chain, ), Regional Hub for East Africa, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Tanzania, Dr. Adebayo Abass, said  the institute launched the project to  enhance the competitiveness of high quality cassava flour (HQCF)  in West and Central Africa.This is    increase cassava yield from the current per hectare production levels estimated at 12.5 tons/hectares in Nigeria to 20 tons/hectares.

    He  said  the  project in partnership with McGill University, Canada and other collaborating institutions also launched another project:“Improving Quality, Nutrition and Health Impacts of Inclusion of Cassava Flour in Bread Formulation In Nigeria and Ghana.

    The HQCF would not only contribute to employment creation and reduce wheat import expenditure by government, it will also contribute to poverty reduction and food security in West and Central Africa.

    According to him, the project will support the generation, dissemination and adoption of improved technologies for cassava production and processing.

    The project will be a sub-component within the CRP 1.2 Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics with links to CRP 3.4 Roots, Tubers and bananas. It will contribute to all four systemic level outcomes of the SRF, reducing rural poverty. The project will increase food security, improve nutrition and health  and create sustainable management of natural resources.  It will give priority to gender empowerment to ensure an increased control by women and other marginalised groups (the youths and the physically challenged) over integrated systems assets.

    The project also seeks to survey small, medium scale (SME) and large scale (LS) cassava flour producers to assess their technological and operational constraints and opportunities; study physicochemical profiles of flour and starches from various cassava varieties and screen various cassava varieties for optimal production of high quality and nutritious bread.

    “In order to successfully implement the substitution policy, there is the need to understand the technical and scientific basis for economically producing competitive high quality cassava flour and the constraints restraining small processors and bakers from advancing the production.

    “Knowledge of flour characteristics and their relationships to product quality are important tools in selecting appropriate variety for further processing of cassava,” Abass said.

  • From engineering to flour production

    From engineering to flour production

    Mrs  Jane Kolawole, Director, Janeland Net-works Limited is  a chemical engineer.

    A product of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, she  became an entrepreneur a quirk of fate. She was given a contract  job instead  of a permanent one in a company  she served  as a Corps member.  Mrs  Kolawole realised that it was difficult for her  to keep the job and her home  as she had to leave early – sometimes at 5 a.m Lekki from her home at the mainland.

    Along the line, she  discovered  that her passion is in production. As she searched for ideas, she began to notice that many homes and small entrepreneurs use beans as an ingredient. The Janeland Networks boss decided to experiment with bean flour and started the  business from her kitchen. After some trials she produced a bean flour product acceptable by people making moin moin and akara.

    Her bean flour is made from beans, which has been cleaned, peeled and milled to a fine flour. The flour is used to prepare dishes such as moin-moin and akara.  Her experience in the chemical  industry along with her passion for good food has made her  a valuable asset in the creation and development of bean based products.

    Mrs   Kolawole started the business around 2010. In the beginning, business was slow. But she has been toughened by the highs and lows of the business.

    Some of the greatest challenges she faced at the beginning were economic. Mrs  Kolawole  started the business with little money. Then shwe bought a half  bag of  beans for  N8000. Now, it sells for between N10,000 and N12,000. She hopes  to run a successful business that will create jobs for friends and families. She has taken the risk, and proven that she has the courage to step up to the edge of the precipice and believes that she can make it. She is continuously look for ways to improve the way  the business  provides services to clients as a startup.

    She attributed growth of the business to her strong spiritual faith. The growth of the business is linked to good word-of mouth from satisfied clients, who continue to give her referrals and kept patronising her.

    Currently, the bean market is not oversupplied, so, she is going to benefit from increased demand, but needs funding to expand and support several products and initiatives to help small scale food producers.

     

  • Flour Mills notifies NSE on merger

    The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) said Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc has notified that its board and that of the Niger Mills Company Limited, have been in discussions and negotiations with regard to merging their respective businesses.

    Report from the Exchange stated that the proposed Scheme of Merger will be undertaken pursuant to Part XII of the Investment and Securities Act No. 29 of 2007.

    Flour Mills currently holds 99.97 per cent equity in Niger Mills and the proposed merger will facilitate the consolidation of the companies’ operations and processes into a single enlarged entity.

    However, the proposed merger, according to the notification, is expected to build a more efficient company, positioned to create potential savings through the optimisation of overhead costs, particularly administrative costs relating to maintaining two distinctive entities.

    The report said the merger will be achieved by the transfer of all of the assets, liabilities and undertaking of Niger Mills to Flour Mills, in exchange for which ordinary shares of Flour Mills will be issued to the minority shareholders of Niger Mills or alternatively a cash consideration in lieu of the allotment of the said Flour Mills shares be made to the minority shareholders. Upon the Scheme becoming effective, all shares held in Niger Mills shall be cancelled.

    The Board of Flour Mills believes that the enlarged Entity will consolidate Flour Mills’ leading position in the flour milling industry, accessing positive economies of scale and realizing significant synergies through enhanced operational and administrative efficiency and a unified product delivery platform, and thereby providing immense benefits to the shareholders and customers of Flour Mills.

    The Federal High Court has directed that separate meetings of the shareholders of the merging entities be convened at a Court Ordered Meeting scheduled to hold on 20th February, 2012; at Zinia Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos by 10.00 a.m. Entitled to attend and vote at the meeting are those shareholders, whose names appear on the Register of members on 29th January, 2013, the report added.

    Meanwhile, trading on the floor of the NSE in the last one week of four trading sessions saw a turnover of 2.612 billion shares worth N19.152 billion in 27,186 deals in contrast to a total of 3.259 billion shares valued at N21.636 billion that exchanged hands the previous week in 34,651 deals.

    The Financial Services sector was the most active accounting for 1.969 billion shares valued N11.081 billion carried out in 16,303 deals.

    The top three sectors represented by the Financial Services, Consumer Goods and Services sectors accounted for 2.353 billion shares valued at N16.900 billion traded in 21, 988 deals, thus accounting for 90.06 per cent, 88.24 per cent and 80.88 per cent, of the volume, value and number of deals respectively.

    Also traded last week was 196 units of New Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N504,481 which exchanged hands in four deals in contrast to a total of 565 units valued at N1.440 billion transacted last week in fourdeals. There were no transactions through the stock market in the FGN Bonds, State/Local Government Bonds and Corporate Bonds/Debentures sectors.

    The NSE All-Share Index appreciated by 2.12 per cent to close Friday at 31,583.49 while the market capitalization of the listed equities also appreciated by 2.12 per cent to close at N10.103 trillion.

    Likewise all the NSE sectorial indices appreciated: the Bloomberg NSE 30, Bloomberg NSE Consumer Goods, Bloomberg NSE Banking, Bloomberg NSE Insurance, Bloomberg NSE Oil/Gas and NSE Lotus II appreciated by 2.41 per cent 0.06 per cent, 1.41 per cent, 1.26 per cent, 1.20 pet cent and 3.26 per cent respectively.

     

  • MAN to Fed Govt: Raise wheat flour tariff

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has urged the Federal Government to review upwards the existing 15 per cent duty on imported wheat flour, ahead of the 2013/2017 Common External Tariff regimes.

    The President, MAN, Kola Jamodu, told The Nation that the introduction of 10 per cent composite cassava flour in bread has necessitated the need for upward review of duty imposed on wheat flour.

    He said this would accelerate the manufacture of composite flour locally.”We are aware that duty is a veritable instrument for generating revenue for the Government. To this end, I want to recommend an upward review of the tariff rates of imported flour from 15 per cent to 20 per cent. This will discourage importation of foreign flour, while the cassava products will be promoted,” he said.

    Jamodu called on both the States and Federal Government to encourage its ministries, departments and agencies to patronise locally made products in all their activities, adding that this is the only way local manufacturers  can be promoted. He commended the government for the positive impact of some of its policies.

    He said: ”We are not unmindful of the onerous challenges facing the government. “In this regard, we want to assure the Federal Government of our  commitment to your noble mission to bring positive changes to our economy and sustenance of the manufacturing sector, especially in the area of job creation.

    ”This is even as the Director General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, FIIRO, said consumption of cassava bread can save the economy N318 billion yearly.

    ”This figure is half of the N635 billion (about $3.9 billion) being spent annually to import wheat into Nigeria by the Flour Millers for bread making and other confectioneries. Since wheat is not produced in Nigeria it has to be imported.
    Furthermore, bread is produced from 100 percent wheat flour and as such huge amount of hard earned foreign exchange is used every year for its importation,” he disclosed.