■ CAN AFRICA (indeed) THE WORLD AFFORD TO FEED HER CITIZENRY BY 2030 IN THE OPTICS OF THE “TRIPPLE A” OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY AND VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT?

……@ WUFAS AGR0NET, We don’t know more than Food.
We earned “FAO” Top Fan barge

It’s on record that WUFAS AGR0NET Coined the phrase “TRIPPLE A” of Sustainable Food Security and Value Chain Development to describe the need to make available good quality food for all.

The followings are the various classes of Foods :

• • Beverages, • Dairy products, •Baking and pastries, • Fruits and vegetables, • Legumes, • Cereals Technology, •Tuber roots Milling, • Oil extraction, • Beef management, • Poultry, •Fisheries, • Distillate etc. Actualization of the Triple-A is pivotal to achieving Sustainable Food Security and Value Chain development in the ongoing agricultural reorientation in Nigeria which is one of the goals from the optics of the 17 goals of the 2030 UN agenda. The Tripple A is of enormous importance that each must be accomplished on its own merits. They are — AVAILABILITY — MASSIVE / Aggressive commercial Agricultural production ( Mechanisation )

1. ACCEPTABILITY — Processing with adequate Food Processing Technology knowledge to meet – International Best Practices and Global Competitiveness.
2. AFFORDABILITY — Relatively cheap for all to buy.
   Sustainable food for the citizenry.

AVAILABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE

The entire population of West Africa is about 350million while Nigeria is over 211 million with a growth rate of 3.2% (about 6 million annually ). Producing enough Food for Nigeria is a mirage while the entire populace of the W/ Africa sub-region is import-dependent on most of the daily needed food items such as Rice, Maize, Sugar, Milk, etc. Nigeria is blessed with an abundant landmass of about a 98.3million hectares of fertile arable land that yields about 8 – 11 tons per hectare. 71% of the landmass is cultivatable while about 38% is cultivated.

In Asia, the Yield per hectare is about 21MT per hectare this may not be unconnected with their agronomy techniques and practices.

POSTHARVEST LOSSES

In Africa, about 40% of the agricultural produce is lost annually due to • Lack of On-the farm Processing, • Inadequate storage facilities, • Infrastructural deficit in rural areas eg good feeder roads network, Electricity, and • lack of adequate knowledge in Food Processing Technology.

A recent report from the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme CAADP -Coordinator at Africa Union (AU ) commission stated that about 1.3bn MT ie 30% of global Food produce is lost annually due to Post HARVEST related issues.

SOLUTIONS

In Africa, especially Nigeria, adequate knowledge in the fundamentals of Food Processing Technology must be embraced Starting from the basics of water treatment, packaging, preservation, Quality control concepts, Food mgt systems, Storage systems, etc. Followed by Unit Operational appliances such as Mixing, Pasteurization, Filtration, Centrifugation, etc., and then followed by simple practical demonstrations in various classes of Foods eg Beverages, Dairy products, Cereals Technology, enhancing Global Competitiveness and International Best Practices.
All these are what we stand for @ WUFAS AGR0NET.

SOME FOOD CROPS.

● RICE – An unprecedented leap was effected and achieved by the current administration of President Buhari in Rice production through the anchor borrowers schemes of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Nigeria now produces about 57% of the required 6.7mmt making Nigeria the highest producer of the Asian Food crop in Africa thereby stemming Rice smuggling.

● CASSAVA- Over 90% of various Industrial VALUE CHAINS of cassava are imported. ( such as):
•Ethanol,
• High-quality cassava flour HQCF,
• Cassava flour is an adjunct in wheat flour Milling,
• Sweetener enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cassava, etc. While for domestic consumption we have
● Garri, ● Starch, ● Tapioca, ● Cassava flour, ● Animal feeds etc.

— Vitamin A Cassava (yellow cassava, code 07/0593, TME 419. Vit A enriched cassava contains a high level of beta -carotene a precursor of Vitamins A ) in consumption, it produces over 500 calories of energy daily. Making it an important Food Security crop.

Cassava contains about 80% carbohydrates if not properly complemented with other nutrients, its excessive consumption may result in impaired vision or blindness and other terminal sicknesses. is a perishable Food crop if not Processed early enough.

Taking a case study of Cassava high net worth value chains, 96%of 600,000mt of Cassava flour, 100% of 200,000 Mt of Sweetener, 98% of 50,400Mt of High-Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF),98% of Ethanol are imported annually.

● Sorghum – (Guinea Corn ) is a valuable source of carbohydrates for man, livestock, and industries it’s protein content is richer than that found in Maize but lower in soluble carbohydrate, oils, and mineral matters.

Protein — 14.28%, Carbohydrate 76%, and Oil 32%.

The Protein is lower in Biological value it’s deficient in tryptophan and Lysine but richer in Iron, the bran is rich in Vit B.
Nutritional and Industrial benefits: – It’s a staple Food in the Northern part of Nigeria a major contributor of energy to diets. Industrially it is of a high net worth value exploiting the abundance of carbohydrates for Hydrolysis into simpler sugars.

In Cadbury Nigeria Plc, the polysaccharide in Sorghum is converted into Glucose syrup while the Breweries use it as an adjunct to malted barley for beer Brewing. The local Brewers use Sorghum as the main source of raw materials.

NIGERIA imports about 80% of Glucose annually.

● Maize – has multiple usages eg as main ingredient about 60% for Poultry feeds, 26% for Food (flour millers ) and Beverages manufacturing, Modified Corn starch /flour used for Custard production and extensively as filler or stabilizer in food Industries is 100% imported.

Nigeria produces about 10.5 MMT annually while demand is about 15MMT.

● Legumes – PULSES are important in the diet of developing countries. They share similar characteristics eg

• Relatively high protein content generally between 18 -27% but Soybeans have exceptionally high biologically approved protein content of 40%. Making Legumes is important for human nutrition.
• High-fat content useful source of Vegetable oil eg Groundnut Oil, Melon oil, etc.
• High Carbohydrate content ie high calorific effect.
• Valuable source of minerals eg Calcium and Iron.
• Can contribute a useful amount of Vitamins A, B, and B2 and nicotine to diet.
• However, some toxic substances such as glucosides, purine, and haemoglutinines are removed by soaking and cooking so may not occur in prepared dishes.

Other Legumes are Locust beans, Soya beans, Groundnut, Pigeon beans, etc.

SOYBEANS

Harnessing the nutritional and Industrial benefits of Soybeans as Food, Edible oil, Fibre, and Fuel for National development cannot be over-emphasized. The lack of massive and commercial agricultural production and Processing of Soybeans is a critical agro infrastructural deficit considering the humongous economic advantages of the various value chain developments. In ‘the 19/’20 marketing year USA exported about 45MMT (USSOY) while in 2019 Brazil exported about $32bn of Soybeans ( about the same time Nigeria’s annual budget was $35bn) although Brazil is economically stronger in Sugar and automobile production. In Nigeria, incidentally, Soybeans agriculture thrives best in the Guinea Savanna ( Benue throve ) / The Rain forest ecological zones of Nigeria.

Nutritionally, a large percentage of the world’s population today is undernourished due to Inadequate diet Principal which are protein, vitamins, and minerals that are abundant in Soybeans.

Edible oil can be sourced from Soybeans that meet the regulated amount of Oleic content ( C17H33CooH, 9- Octadecanoic )which is trans fats free.

Fiber – is essentially the powder used mainly in Food Processing industries as a thickener, etc.
Fuel – Soybeans Bio Diesel for automobiles as renewable clean-burning diesel.

SESAME SEEDS (BENNE )

For edible oil extraction. The value chain attracts enormous economic and commercial importance containing about 55% oils, 35%protein with a substantial amount of carbohydrates, and others. Of particular interest is the high-quality oil obtained from Sesame which contains about 47% Oleic and 39% linoleic acid which excludes trans fats. Best in the production of margarine in many parts of the world with Inadequate refrigeration. Other uses are for Paints, Soap, Cosmetics, Perfumes, Bath oil, pharmaceuticals, etc.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

In West Africa’s climes. Animals are reared for beef purposes with no export value – (The average weight of a cow here is about 250kg compared to 900kg obtained in the Netherlands and other Beef exporting countries . ) while the dairy industry is still in infancy with no export value neither. Animal husbandry in West Africa is still as it was in the 18th-century endeavor era trekking thousands of miles with no nourishing Food. Ranching is the modern practice world over.

FISHERIES

There are about 264 dams some for multipurpose usage, Nigeria is blessed with extensive coastal and brackish waters while Inland rivers and lakes are enormous also in place are 11 River Basin Development Authorities for irrigation purposes, Construction of dams amongst others but all are poorly funded and managed, all these are grossly underutilized for fishing activities.

However, private enterprises in Fish farming using garden “GALVANISED Mobile TARPAULINPONDS “, Earth ponds, etc are springing up.

Nigeria imports about 900,000mt of Fish annually while the required is 1.5MMT. If GLOBAL production of marine and freshwater Food is increased by 15.5mt annually, some micronutrient deficiencies could be averted.

● FRUITS and VEGETABLES ( HORTICULTURAL CROPS ) Nigeria is endowed with an abundant landmass of about 98.3m hectares with about 71.2m hectares cultivatable while only 38% cultivated. The landmass is arable fertile land that supports various types of fruits and vegetables in the ecological zones from the Sahel Savanna through Sudan Savanna, Guinea Savanna, Mountain Grassland Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest to Mangrove Swamp Forest ecological zones of Nigeria but about 40%are wasted annually due to Lack of rural access feeder roads network. to the urban metropolis where the market exists.

● POULTRY INDUSTRIES are very adaptable to our climate in Nigeria the albatross is the Inadequate supply of Feeds of which about 60% is of Maize formulation. Maize importation is crucial for the sustenance of the industry.
● WHEAT — From available statistics, about 4.5 million metric tons – 70% of wheat is imported annually while 30% is locally sourced from 8 States of Kano, Jigawa, kebbi, katsina, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kaduna, and Zamfara which are a hotbed of Banditry and Insecurity.

Currently, an Urban metropolis in Nigeria depends on wheat importation given various value chains such as wheat flour for Baking and pastries, Noodles, Semolina, Pasta, etc school children are obsessed with noodles for Food packs. While Rice, Maize, Cassava Legumes, etc are out of reach of many families.

The exchange rate of Dollar to Naira’s $1 – 525 Naira respectively a bag of flour that used to cost less than 10, 000 Naira is currently sold at 21,500 Naira, Wheat imported is mostly inferior and of poor quality, some are expired due to lower cost prices.

• The Central Bank of Nigeria in August 2021 claimed that Food imports gulped about $1.04billion in six months.

From the above analysis the major alibi for insufficiency is insecurity, and inadequate massive commercial agricultural productivity, if this is stepped up the present more than 88 million people leaving in extreme poverty, will be gainfully employed. China redeemed 725 million of her citizen from extreme poverty through massive construction, between 1990 – 2013. India was delisted from being the poorest nation in the world through the development of technologies in ICT, Nuclear, Agriculture etc.

The time for Nigeria to strategize on definite policy objective to take advantage of an efficient trade policy that will open up the vistas and vacuum in our balance of trade through our various untapped potentials such as massive commercial organic agricultural farming, various dairy value chain, fruit concentrates, local staple foodstuff .productivities is now.

Important remedies to the above are addressing the insecurity which will allow the farmers to go back to farms.

AGGRESSIVE MECHANISATION

The standard for agricultural mechanization the world over is 300 tractors to 1000 km of farmland, in Nigeria, less than 50 tractors are deployed to 1000 km, Nigeria presently needs about 750,000 tractors to be deployed. In other areas such as scientific research and innovation on high-yield crop varieties, Africa is the highest producer of cassava 55% but the yield per hectare is very low 8 – 11MT compared to the yield in Asia 21 MT/ hectares.

Appropriate fertilizer application, provision of government infrastructures such as roads in the rural areas and others such as weed management control, accessibility of loans to farmers at single-digit rates, the synergy between policymakers and scientists, industrialists, and other stakeholders like processors, farmers, end users, and donor agencies.

Presently, Nigeria is the highest producer of Yam 62% but to date, the cultivation of the food tuber is manual if mechanized the foreign exchange will attract Will be enormous.

The Federal authorities should synergize with large farmers to provide needed support in areas such as mechanization, and massive commercial production in all areas such as fruits, cereals, and diaries, as these, will influence large production of concentrate, Diaries, and a lot more. The irony of massive productivity is such that it doesn’t take any more energy to create big dreams than it does to create little ones. there must be Swift’s departure from our native syndrome ( as our fathers did it) to advance thinking and operations. Investment in vital areas is key and should be embraced. The difference between the advanced climes and the rest of the world is the bigger dream they have.

ACCEPTABILITY, PROCESSED FOODS

Post-harvest handling is the bane of Agricultural produce in Nigeria, about 40% is wasted due to a lack of adequate knowledge in Food Processing Technology among others.
WUFAS AGR0Net Ethics of Food Processing Technology which entails: Water treatment, Quality control concept, Preservation, Packaging, Product Quality Assurance, etc. these models would ensure acceptable food for all and support the quality population.

At WUFAS AGRONET we are into the establishment, Construction, and installation of Micro, Small, and Medium scale Food Processing Industries & Plants for Startups, Propreneurs, and Entrepreneurs using about 80% local content ie( fabrication using stainless steel and other food-grade appliances that are not toxic to food ) eg: Citrus fruits juices, Tomatoes (juice, paste), pineapple line, Dairy ( different types- Greek, drinking, fruit, cottage cheese, sour cream, etc.) Water Treatment and production, Flavor drinks ( still & carbonated) Alcoholic & nonalcoholic drinks, Herbal extracts, Bitters drinks, Wine drinks – Tonic wine, Bread baking/pastries, Chips Frying Milling -cassava, rice, etc., Drying – fish, etc., Compounding of Feed Mills. and many more plants.

BANED FOOD ITEMS

Attention to the appropriate department of Agriculture (MYCOTOXICOLOGY) Is required for this development.

The European Union( EU) June 2015 suspended Nigerian Food items such as Dryfish, Meat, Melon seed, Beans, Sesame seeds, and Peanuts from entering Europe till June 2016, However, the ban has been extended back – back to June 2019 following the inability to meet the prescribed food safety standards by the EU. The rejected Food items were found to contain between 0.03 — 4.6 mg/kg .of DICHLORVOS Pesticide. The permissible global limit is 0.01 mg/ kg. The excess chemical in the food items is said to be harmful to consumers’ health.

Unfortunately, the high dosage of toxin is what Nigerians and indeed the W/Africa and beyond are been fed with. The appropriate authority should expedite necessary action on this.

AT WUFAS AGRONET

The use of “OZONE ” (O3) is recommended in the grains Bin or Silos, the Ozone gas is driven by the current of air through the base of the Silo upwards inhibiting all forms life eg Fungal, mold, insects, etc USA Grains Checking Services Federal Administration approved Ozone gas safe as Antibacterial gas in cereals and Food products. Ozone reacts and breakdown the outer wax layers on bugs’ bodies leading to dryness and death.

AFFORDABILITY

The Principles of Supply and demand come in. Cost of product is determined by the availability of same, When the supply is in excess of demand the cost drops, this trend followed by protective Government policies will ensure affordability. Local producers will be encouraged to increase production.

As the processors operate at optimum capacity (full blast) break-even point is achieved this will guarantee excess products and crash the selling price.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

TO FORESTALL THE INCESSANT BANNING OF NIGERIA’S FOOD ITEMS IN EUROPE AND ELSEWHERE THE USE OF “OZONE GAS” IS RECOMMENDED INSTEAD OF DICHLORVOS Pesticide.

At WUFAS AGR0Net, We are Competent and Reliable Food Processing Technologists in Human Capital Development Consultancy in Food Processing Technology enhancing Global Competitiveness and International Best Practices for the teeming youthful population and the unemployed graduates and other Food handlers through our AGROPRENUERIAL EMPOWERMENT DEMONSTRATIVE SEMINARS IN FOOD PROCESSING (Postharvest ). In line with UN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY AND VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT.
Our Contact details:08157784430. Email wufasagronet@gmail.com, Fb pages WUFAS AGR0Net.