Improved cassava processing technology to enhance food security in Nigeria

As Africa’s largest cassava producer (over 60 million metric tons annually), Nigeria relies on cassava for calories, income, and rural employment. Yet, post-harvest losses exceeding 40% and labor-intensive traditional processing severely limit its potential. Embracing improved processing technology is critical for achieving sustainable food security in Nigeria.

cassava flour and gari production flow

The Bottlenecks in Traditional Cassava Processing Technology

Nigeria’s food security struggles are rooted in cassava’s perishability and inefficient handling:

- Rapid Spoilage: Fresh roots deteriorate within 48 hours, forcing rushed sales at low prices.

- Manual Labor Dominance: Cassava grating, dewatering, and frying are physically taxing, slow, and yield inconsistent products like garri or fufu.

- Low Value Addition: Only 10% of cassava is industrially processed, missing opportunities in cassava starch, cassava flour, and biofuels.

Transformative Cassava Processing Technologies Revolutionizing the Sector

1. Efficient Mobile Cassava Processing Units (MPUs)

- Solar-Powered Cassava Graters/Pressers: Reduce cassava processing time by 70%, usable off-grid.

- Hydraulic Dewatering: Cuts moisture removal from days to hours, improving garri safety.

- Impact: Empower smallholder farmers (especially women) to process at farmgate, cutting losses, improving processing efficiency and the quality of the final cassava product.

cassava grinder

2. High-Throughput Industrial Cassava Processing Systems

- Integrated Cassava Starch Processing Factories: PLC system control the whole processing sections. Extract premium and consistent starch for glue, pharmaceuticals, and biodegradable plastics.

- Flash Dryers for High-Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF): Produce uniform flour for bread, noodles, and confectionery, replacing imports.

- Impact: Create markets for 5+ million farmers via aggregation cassava processing models.

cassava starch production line

Why the improved cassava processing technology can enhance food security?

1. Reduced Losses → Increased Availability: Extend shelf life of cassava products like fortified gari, feeding millions year-round. Adopt machinery processing cassava to reduce loss and improve cassava product quality.

2. Nutrition Enhancement: Fortify cassava flour with Vitamin A, zinc, and iron to combat "hidden hunger."

3. Income Diversification: Farmers gain revenue from cassava starch, ethanol, and animal feed—not just raw roots.

4. Import Substitution: Nigerian HQCF displaces $680M/year in wheat imports (FMAN).

Improved cassava processing technologies promises to extend cassava chain, provide more products, and promote local enployment, achieving sustainable food security in Nigeria. We, Henan Jinrui as one of professional machine manufacturer, have set up a warehouse in Ogun state Nigeria, if you are interested to set up a cassava processing factory, welcome contact us for more discussion!