Nigerian state, Chinese firm partners on cassava production

LAGOS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's southeast Cross River Basin Development Authority (RBDA) is collaborating with a Chinese firm, Ruyi Holdings Group, on large-scale cassava production.

The partnership would also include the construction of a hydro-electric power plant for the catchment area, Bassey Nkposong, Managing Director of the Authority, said in a statement reaching Xinhua on Wednesday.

He said the partnership, which was in liaison with local farmers, youths and community entrepreneurs, was expected to engage more than 1,000 farming families in the area.

Nkposong, while welcoming the investors to the state, pledged the willingness of the Authority to accommodate more investors who were willing to exploit the vast agricultural resources of the area.

The Chinese team leader Wang Wei said that the agricultural resources of the catchment area needed to be harnessed for large-scale food production.

Wang said the company would also explore the possibility of harnessing the power generation potential of the Ijegu Yala Dam, with a view to providing electricity for the catchment area. Enditem