Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has advocated for the inclusion of sugarcane in the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) jointly run by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Federal Government of Nigeria. He made this appeal during a meeting with a delegation led by IFAD Country Director, Dede Ekoue, at the Government House on Wednesday, reports Western.
Governor Sule said that the inclusion of sugarcane into VCDP would further drain the importation of sugar into Nigeria, largely sourced from Brazil. The country at the moment is consuming between 1.4 and 1.6 million metric tonnes of sugar annually, out of which 96% is imported into the country in raw form from Brazil, and refined in the country by three major refineries: Dangote, Bua, and Golden Penny.
He called attention to the potential economic benefit of creating a local value chain for sugarcane and even estimated that it would employ some 500,000 workers. “If we manage the entire sugarcane value chain within Nigeria, we could generate a lot of jobs and reduce our dependence on imports,” he said.
Drawing parallels with Kenya, where sugarcane value chains have proven successful, Governor Sule suggested that Nigeria could achieve similar results by encouraging small-scale farmers to grow sugarcane for the country’s refineries. He also called on large companies to take the initiative more seriously, noting that while some are involved in out-grower schemes, the scale is currently insufficient.
“The advantages of developing a sugarcane value chain are extensive, including power generation and animal feed production,” Governor Sule added. He urged the Federal Government representatives to consider adding sugarcane to the crops already supported by the VCDP, which currently includes cassava and rice.
