NAN-AE-4
Potato
Abuja, Oct. 19, 2016 (NAN) The Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN) says it will partner the Federal Government by providing “orange fleshed sweet potato” to ensure the success of the school feeding programme.
Mr Daniel Okafor, the National President of the association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday that the association had formerly written government on the proposal.
“The association had written the presidency in respect of the programme and mentioned the health and wealth benefits of the orange fleshed sweet potato,’’ the president said.
NAN reports that orange-flesh sweet potatoes are exceedingly rich in beta-carotene; excellent source of vitamin A. It is also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6.
Okafor said that his private company has been researching into value chain addition on the orange fleshed sweet potato, which he said, was very good for the body.
“Along the value chain, one can have potato flour, potato bread and potato juice.
“ The value chain is good and the processing of orange flesh potato is a milestone in the history of Nigeria.
“ The bread from orange fleshed potatoes contains lost of vitamins needed for body metabolism.
“I have taken the proposal to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and they have certified it good,’’ he said.
According to him, the product is good for children; it is good for brain development and also gives the elderly, required strength.
“Orange fleshed potato is also good for people suffering from eye disease because of its richness in beta carotene – a precursor for vitamin A,” the president said.
Okafor said that by partnering with government on the school feeding programme, its members would be able produce the potato in commercial quantity.
NAN reports that potato bread has a texture similar to traditional bread, produced with a combination of 40 per cent of wheat and 60 per cent of potato flour.
According to him, a slice of potato bread contains 85 calories, one gramme of fat and traces of calcium, iron and potassium.
“Agriculture must become Nigeria’s new oil, supplying food, creating wealth and generate jobs.
“Just like other crops that were neglected and relegated to mere stable food after the discovery of oil, sweet potato was seen as a tuber for mere consumption, especially in the rain forest area of the country.
“Our goal is to encourage the private sector to be able to unlock the potentials of the agricultural sector through potato.
“Nigeria is the third largest producer of sweat potato in the World after China and Tanzania.
“The association has a training centre in Karu, Abuja where members are trained.
“This centre serves as a rallying point for stakeholders in the sweet potato business such as farmers, investors, manufacturers and marketers,’’ he said.
POFAN president said that the future of sweet potato was bright, given the variety of products derivable from the crop’s value chain.
“My new research idea is to look into how to increase content of bread to 80 per cent of sweet potato and 20 per cent of wheat.
“A breakthrough in this research will be best thing to happen to this country so that we can be less dependent on wheat importation.
“We also need to help our farmers that growing wheat locally,’’ he stated.
Okafor urged stakeholders to continue do their best and cooperate with government to achieve their aims and objectives of diversify the country’s economy. (NAN)
ROK/AIB/AFA
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Felix Ajide
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