By Osuji Byron and Opara Chinazum
To expedite the industrialization of Nigeria’s root crop sector, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, recently convened a high-level Investors Forum focused on the Cocoyam and Taro Value Chain. The meeting, held at the Conference Hall, Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat Complex, Umuahia, brought together a diverse group of over 200 participants from across the agricultural and industrial ecosystem.
The one-day forum, themed “Unlocking Investment Opportunities in Cocoyam and Taro Value Chain for Sustainable Industrial Development,” served as a strategic platform for sensitizing stakeholders on emerging opportunities in processing, value addition, commercialization, and industrial utilization of cocoyam and taro. Attendees included investors, entrepreneurs, financial institutions, farmers, processors, researchers, media professionals, and representatives of various government agencies.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the Director General/CEO of RMRDC, Prof, Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, the Anambra State Coordinator, Dr. (Mrs.) Uche Arinze-Nwosu, highlighted the substantial yet largely underexploited economic, nutritional, and industrial value of cocoyam and taro. She stressed the importance of shifting from raw material exportation to value-added production, noting that cocoyam alone can be transformed into starch, flour, animal feed, baby food, pharmaceuticals, adhesives, textiles, cosmetics, and other industrial inputs.
Dr. Arinze-Nwosu also announced the progress of the Council’s landmark 30% Raw Material Value Addition Bill, which recently passed its third reading and awaiting the president’s assent; a major step toward strengthening local content and boosting Nigeria’s industrial competitiveness.
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The representative of the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation – Honourable David Kalu delivering his opening address revealed that Nigeria is the No. 1 producer of Cocoyam and Taro in the whole world accounting for 45.99% of global production and 72.2% in West Africa. In addition, just last year, 2024, 15 metric tonnes of Cocoyam were produced in Nigeria but Abia was not included among the producing States in the country, a trend which should not continue. He expressed FMSTI’s willingness to collaborate with RMRDC in improving cocoyam value-chain in Abia State and Nigeria at large.
In her goodwill message, Miss Lovelyn Nwamuo, representing the Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, highlighted major challenges confronting cocoyam production, including storage limitations, root rot diseases, poor road access, and the scarcity of improved varieties. She commended RMRDC and its partners for driving investments into root crop value chains. Other goodwill messages encouraged the Council to extend similar developmental initiatives to indigenous crops such as Adu and Una (three-leaved yam), which are gradually declining in cultivation.
Participants expressed significant enthusiasm for the presentations on modern agronomic practices, improved planting materials, and new processing technologies. A lively question-and-answer session allowed farmers, investors, and government officials to engage directly on key issues, explore solutions, and chart actionable pathways for scaling cocoyam and taro production in the state.
In her vote of thanks, the RMRDC Abia State Coordinator, Dr. (Mrs.) Chioma G. Oji-Nnorom, expressed deep appreciation to the Abia State Government, NRCRI Umudike, partnering agencies, exhibitors, farmers, and all participants for their collaboration and active involvement. She reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s raw materials base and supporting sustainable industrial development.
The communiqué committee, recommended boosting cocoyam and taro production through Good Agronomic Practices and coordinated pest and disease control while promoting farmer clusters and cooperatives to improve access to technical support, mechanization, finance and markets.
It also identified value addition and processing as the key investment opportunity and stressed strict compliance with SON and NAFDAC quality and packaging standards to enhance competitiveness in local and international markets.
