Harnessing Potentials of Cassava Farming

Posted on June 18, 2012 by bilrob

Harnessing Potentials of Cassava Farming

Cassava is a multi-useful crop that is grown by millions of farmers in the country. Nigeria alone produces over 45 million metric tons of cassava every year, but unfortunately most of our farmers, businessmen, investors and industrialists are unaware of the investment opportunities which the cassava industry offer.

Despite being consistently ranked the world’s greatest producer of cassava, Nigeria still depends on oil as an alternative means of income, whereas cassava is gradually being transformed from a famine-reserve commodity and staple food to a cash crop for urban consumption.

Farmers in the country do not usually add value to this crop as a result; the country has the challenge of excess production of cassava, which most times results in farmers getting little value for their efforts as supply is higher than demand.

New Policy on Cassava

But going forward, the federal government recently awarded contract for the construction of 18 high grade cassava flour processors capable of processing 1.3 million metric tons of cassava flour for local use to mix with wheat to bake bread and other confectioneries. The 18 plants would make Nigeria the biggest cassava processor in the world when they are completed in the next 24 months.

Also with the various intervention of President Good luck Jonathan, it has been estimated that Nigeria’s cassava production would rise to over 51 million metric tons by 2015. The Jonathan government is also introducing policies to encourage the substitution of high quality cassava flour for wheat flour in bread-baking.

The government promised that bakeries that are able to transit to using cassava flour in the next 18 months will enjoy a corporate tax incentive of 12 per cent rebate if they attain 40 per cent blending.

Most Nigerians are now aware of the commitment of President Jonathan to promoting the eating of bread partly made from cassava. Similarly, the president stated that from July 1, 2012, wheat flour will attract a levy of 65 per cent to bring the effective duty to 100 per cent, while wheat grain will attract a 15 per cent levy which will bring the effective duty to 20 per cent.

It is estimated that over N60 billion in wheat import bills will be saved from the substitution of 40 per cent of bread wheat flour with cassava flour annually by the country from the policy.

The minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, decried the current situation whereby Nigeria imports N635 billion worth of wheat annually, whereas she is the largest cassava producer, further stressing the need to give adequate attention to cassava production, noting that the produce is in high demand globally, as it is used in the manufacture of glucose, ethanol, starch, animal feeds, among others.

Reacting on the issue of cassava flour bread, Adesina, stated that there are those who make a lot of money doing this importation of wheat flour who do not want any effort of government to do partial substitution of wheat flour with cassava flour to work.

Although, the private sector is already successfully substituting cassava flour for wheat flour in bread and confectioneries, two of the largest bakers in the country are commercialising healthy cassava based bread and confectioneries. UTC Plc and Food Concepts have gone ahead to train more bakers who are ready to adopt the new technology.

The issue of use of cassava in bread is also an economic decision. While Nigeria spends 635 billion importing wheat and keeping farmers of wheat exporting countries employed, its displacement of jobs at home is not good for a nation.

Benefits of cassava over wheatflour

Recently, a statement in the media that cassava consumption was not good for those with diabetes has been discredited. In an interview with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY, the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, disclosed that glycemic index of wheat flour is higher than that of cassava adding that the statement giving percentages of those that are diabetics as between 20 and 30 per cent is misleading.

According to him, Nigerians eat eba, fufu, amala all made from cassava and no health problems have ever been reported from the consumption of these foods. Our local foods are much healthier than imported over-processed foods that cause cancer and aggravate diabetes, such as white wheat flour, he said.

The minister has noted that cassava flour is good for health. “White wheat bread is actually bad for health. By including cassava flour in bread, we will be improving the health benefit of the bread we eat since the lower level of glycemic index in cassava flour will help to reduce the high level of glycemic index in wheat flour,” Adeshina stated.

Also, commenting, a large-scale farmer, Mallam Salisu Ahmed, revealed to LEADERSHIP SUNDAY that research institutes have assisted in no small measure by developing improved cassava varieties that would boost farmer’s production and keep the country in the lead as the world’s largest producer of the root crop.

Post-harvest losses which occur largely due to the absence of viable storage and processing facilities are some of these challenges which have impoverished farmers and dampened their enthusiasm for farming.

Global dependence on cassava

Over 800 million people world-wide depend on cassava as a regular source of energy. Per capital consumption in West Africa is more than 120kg per annum, while that of Central Africa is more than 300kg per annum. Food and beverage industries use cassava by- products in the production of jelly, caramel and chewing gum, pharmaceutical and chemical industries also use cassava alcohol (ethanol) in the production of cosmetics and drugs.

The products also find ready use in the manufacture of dry cell battery, textiles, school chalk, etc. Cassava cubes are used mainly in the compounding of livestock feeds. Thus, there is a very high demand for cassava products in both the local and international markets. Also, cassava tubers may be processed into a variety of products such as chips, flakes, cubes, peelers, starch, flour, pellets, etc.

Many European and American countries, including Germany, United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands among others demand huge quantities of processed cassava products annually. In fact, the use of cassava for compounding livestock feeds has gained wide acceptance in Latin America and Asia.

There is booming export market and the European Economic Community (EEC Countries) import over 10 million metric tons per annum.

Poultry usage of cassava

Recently, the minister of agriculture met with the Poultry Association of Nigeria were the issue of rising costs for poultry feed and the need to find solutions was discussed. While all the members went to work to find domestic solution, at the end substitution of 10 per cent of maize with cassava grits was proposed as a relatively new product from cassava.

Adesina added that the quantity of cassava grits required annually is about 480,00 metric tons and stakeholders have been assured that 10 per cent is just the starting point since it has been proved that 50 per cent inclusion is possible, while the Poultry Association of Nigeria is offering 50 per cent of the cost of maize for cassava grits and has promised to patronise the producers since they are looking for a cheaper alternative to maize.

Improved varieties

The Federal Government recently released four improved cassava varieties, products of about a decade-old conventional breeding research.

They include: NR 01/0004, CR 41-10, TMS 00/0203 and TMS 01/0040. TMS 00/0203 and TMS 01/0040 were bred by scientists at the Ibadan-based International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), while NR 01/0004 and CR 41-10 were bred by Umudike-based National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and the Colombia-based International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) respectively.

Although cassava is hardy and can survive where most other crops cannot, it responds to good environments when it finds one.

The new varieties seek to strengthen Nigeria’s leadership in cassava production, increase farmers’ incomes and guarantee food security.

Researchers say the key to mitigating changes in environmental conditions and pest and diseases among many others depends on the deployment of suitable varieties that would not suffer from sudden changes in the environment.

Cassava is typically grown by small-scale farmers using traditional methods, and often on land that is not suitable for other crops. Cassava is propagated by cutting a mature stem into sections of approximately 15 centimetres and planting these prior to the wet season. These plantings require adequate moisture during the first two to three months, but are subsequently drought resistant.

The roots are harvestable after six to 12 months and can be harvested any time in the following two years, thus providing farmers with a remarkable amount of flexibility.

It is believed that the global demand for cassava would spur rural industrialisation, contribute to the economic development of producing, processing and trading communities, as well as the well-being of numerous disadvantaged people in the world whose lifestyles would be enhanced by improved production of cassava in Nigeria.

Bread Making with Bill & Sheila

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Whole wheat flour in cake

Posted on April 12, 2012 by bilrob

Whole wheat flour in cake

The recent push to get consumers to add more whole grains to our meals has inspired me to think about infusing whole wheat flour into a dessert. Not a sweetened yeast or quick bread recipe, but a bona fide after dinner cake dessert.

When I baked in the Catskill Mountains of New York, we relied upon King Arthur Flours for all our bread and pastry recipes. King Arthur, America’s oldest flour company, now offers home bakers unbleached white whole wheat flour, milled from white wheat kernels.

Available at most stores, this variety provides all the fiber of regular whole wheat, while boasting a milder flavor and lighter hue. Before delving into a cake remake, I tested King Arthur’s white whole wheat flour in a simple batter bread recipe. I enjoyed the subtle background texture from the lighter whole wheat.

King Arthur’s product information claims bakers can substitute white whole wheat for up to half the amount of all-purpose flour in any recipe where whole wheat would not be expected or called for in the ingredient list. I set out to test that claim in a cake dessert.

As much as chocolate tempted my taste buds for this challenge, I realized the flavor power of cocoa would inhibit my ability to detect textural changes. I sidelined my favorite chocolate cake in favor of another almost as powerful ingredient: ripe banana.

You may be wondering why I didn’t choose a plain butter cake for this experiment. Frosting tops most butter cakes and taste testers expect that adornment, or ask questions if the dessert shows up naked on a plate. I needed a cake recipe often served without frosting and this job called for the return of an old favorite … the bundt pan.

Long ago I tweaked the standard banana cake to fit my tastes for a tube or bundt style pan. Ripe bananas bring loads of natural sweetness and unique flavors to a cake batter. As a bonus, the fruit’s texture mildly mimics the effects of fat by preventing gluten development. This keeps the finished cake soft and moist.

The secret lies in playing to an ingredient’s strengths while keeping a realistic expectation of the outcome. Here this means using ripe bananas allows for a reduction of fat and sugars in the recipe, not the elimination of one or the other.

Just cup canola oil partners with the smoothness of bananas to bake soft texture into the crumb. Natural sugars in the bananas allow the amount of light brown sugar to be reduced to 1 cup in this cake recipe. Brown sugar also brings a mild molasses flavor to the bananas, enhancing the fruit’s flavor.

Low-fat buttermilk provides tanginess that balances the sweetness without compromising the moist texture or detracting from the fruit’s signature taste. All these factors make this banana cake recipe simply perfect without frosting and possibly able to stand up to a whole wheat infusion.

For an honest appraisal of this cake, I stashed the bag of white whole wheat flour in the cupboard to prevent my dessert tasters from expecting a change. As recommended by King Arthur, I substituted half white whole wheat for all-purpose. Much to my surprise no one could detect the addition of the whole wheat flour in this dessert. I served the cake without frosting, glaze or sugar dusting.

One bite of this banana bundt cake and you will agree with me; whole wheat flour is not just for bread anymore.

• Annie Overboe, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, lives in Villa Park. Write her at [email protected].

baking with Bill & Sheila

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Flour Guide: Which Types To Use For Baking

Posted on March 30, 2012 by bilrob

Flour Guide: Which Types To Use For Baking

At one time or another you’ve probably stood in the baking aisle of your supermarket in front of all the different flours wondering what they all are. All-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour — they all have a specific purpose. Yes, their names do give you a clue as to what purpose they’re best for, but there’s more to know about these flours, specifically what makes one better for a recipe over another. You may be asking: Are cakes that much better when they’re made with cake flour? Does a yeast bread come out better with bread flour instead of all-purpose? To answer your questions, we’re giving you the low-down on flour.

You’ll notice that we talk about two different types of wheat in the descriptions below: hard and soft. The difference is in the protein content, with hard wheat having a higher level of protein than soft. Wheat is milled and processed in slightly varying ways to create the different flours, for example whole-wheat flour will be darker in color than all-purpose flour because it contains the whole kernel (the bran, germ and endosperm) rather than just the endosperm (the center of the wheat kernel).

All-Purpose Flour, a.k.a. plain flour, is a blend of hard and soft wheat with 10-12% protein. It’s available in bleached and unbleached versions. Bleached flour has been treated with an agent, like chlorine or peroxide, to whiten it and it’s also enriched to put back nutrients that were removed during processing. Unlike bleached flour, unbleached flour is naturally aged, contains all its nutrients and possesses a cream-colored tinge. Either type of all-purpose flour is great for all-purpose baking as the name suggests. Most recipes for pie doughs, cookies, quick breads, etc., will call for all-purpose flour.

Cake Flour is a very finely milled flour from soft wheat with a high starch content and low level of protein (at about 6-8%). It’s also bleached, which alters the structure of the starches and fats to make the flour more acidic. The acidity helps cakes rise instead of collapsing. The low protein content ensures cakes turn out tender and fluffy. Cake flour is excellent for baking cakes and other baked goods that have a high amount of sugar — try it in cupcakes, muffins and even cookies.

Pastry Flour is aslo milled from soft wheat and has a level of protein between all-purpose and cake flours (at about 8-10%). That medium level makes it great to use in recipes where you want a tender and crumbly pastry (too much protein would give you a hard pastry and too little protein would give you a brittle dough to deal with). Try pastry flour in recipes for biscuits, pie doughs, brownies, cookies and quick breads. Do not use it for making yeast breads.

Bread Flour is made from hard wheat with a high level of protein (at about 12-14%). This high level is great for bread baking, because when combined with water, the flour becomes elastic from gluten formation. This gives you the chewy texture you’re looking for in a good bread. Use this flour exclusively for yeast breads and pizzas.

Self-Rising Flour is a low-protein flour (similar in level to pastry flour) that has had salt and leavening (baking powder) added to it. Many Southern recipes call for self-rising flour. You’ll see it used in recipes for biscuits, quick breads, muffins and pancakes (these recipes will not require you to add more baking powder or salt). Do not use the flour for making yeast breads.

Whole-Wheat Flour is made from the entire kernel of hard red wheat, which gives it a darker brown color than white flour. It’s high in nutrients and dietary fiber. Whole-wheat flour is often used blended with all-purpose flour in recipes to lessen its strong wheat flavor. Try it in recipes for hearty and rustic breads.

White Whole-Wheat Flour is made from hard white wheat, which results in a paler color than regular whole-wheat flour. It has less of the strong wheat flavor. Use it blended with all-purpose flour in recipes to achieve heartier and healthier results than if you would use only all-purpose flour. Whole wheat and white whole-wheat have the same nutritional value.

baking with Bill & Sheila
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Don’t Know What Flour To Buy?

Posted on July 13, 2011 by bilrob

Don’t Know What Flour To Buy?

Confused at the array of flour available online or in the grocery store? Don’t know what to buy? We can help.

Buy bread flour for breads. If you want tender muffins or cookies, buy pastry flour. It’s the gluten content that makes breads chewy and the reduced amount of gluten that makes muffins crumbly. All-purpose flour is a compromise. (Many recipes call for all-purpose, not because it will make the best muffins but because the formulators know that all-purpose flour is what most people have.)

Experiment with different flours until you find what works best for you and then stick with it. Start with major brands. We found that some of the smaller, regional mills couldn’t guarantee us the same specification from season to season.

Except for white cakes, we don’t use bleached flour. We prefer to avoid the bleaching agents. We like the creamy colour of unbleached flour and we find unbleached flour easier to work with.

So your shopping list for the baking aisle might look like this:

• A high gluten bread flour for bread baking. We would suggest at least 11% gluten. (While you are in the bread aisle pick up a good dough conditioner and a package of wheat gluten. The extra gluten is especially helpful when you are making whole wheat breads.) We always buy unbleached flour for bread.
• A whole wheat flour. We like a fine, stone ground flour.
• All-purpose flour. We don’t use it often but do so for gravies and sauces, for dusting counters, and when we feel to follow a recipe exactly. Again, we’ll buy unbleached flour.
• A pastry flour for cakes, muffins, and some cookies. (If we want a chewy cookie, we’ll use bread flour.) We’ll buy unbleached pastry flour.
We could buy a bleached cake flour white cakes but since we don’t make many white cakes, we rarely do.

Once bought, store your flour properly—in a closed container in a cool dark place. When flour is exposed to air, the moisture content changes. In a dry climate, flour becomes drier. In a humid environment, moisture increases. The difference in the moisture content can affect the performance of your recipe.
Copyright 2003-2007, The Prepared Pantry (http://www.prepraredpantry.com ). Published by permission

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Harnessing Potentials of Cassava Farming