Mr Olusegun Owolabi, the Chief Consultant to Kwara State Cassava Growers Association, has reiterated the association’s commitment to boosting cassava production, so as to fight hunger and poverty in the state.

Owolabi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Omu-Aran that the association had put in place effective strategies to meet the growing demand for cassava in the country.

He said that the association recently organised a workshop in Ilorin to sensitise farmers to the benefits of cassava cultivation.

Owolabi said that the association had also acquired 5,000 hectares of land to expand its cassava production, as part of efforts to boost food security and sufficiency.

“The workshop was attended by over 250 cassava growers across the state and the 5,000 hectares of land, which the association acquired, would improve cassava cultivation and yield as well as the farmers’ income,” he said.

The consultant, however, appealed to the state government to expedite action on the allocation of land to members of the association so as to boost cassava production in the state.

He said that the cassava growing initiative of the association, which would be based on mechanised farming, was also aimed at strengthening the ongoing efforts to diversify the country’s economy, with greater emphasis on agriculture.

Owolabi urged members of the association, who had benefitted from the association’s loan scheme, not to divert the loan to fund other extraneous projects, to the detriment of designed plans to boost cassava cultivation and harvests.

He assured the beneficiaries of the credit facility of adequate security on the disbursed funds as well as the security of their farms against unnecessary encroachment.

Owolabi also pledged the association’s commitment toward the realisation of the Federal Government’s cassava bread initiative.