The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has called for greater investment in sweet potato production and processing to unlock its economic potential in Nigeria.
The appeal came during an investors’ forum on sweet potato development in Osun State, themed “Investment Opportunities in the Production, Processing, and Marketing of Sweet Potato and its Value-Added Products.” The event was organised in collaboration with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and the Osun Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OSOCCIMA).
RMRDC Director-General, Prof Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, represented by Mrs Olukemi Ajani, said sweet potato has strong potential to enhance food security, improve nutrition, and support export diversification.
Experts from Obafemi Awolowo University, NRCRI, SMEDAN, and the Bank of Industry discussed value addition, processing, financing, and market access for sweet potato products.
A communiqué issued at the end of the forum recommended establishing a Sweet Potato Value Chain Task Force, strengthening processors’ capacity, and promoting public–private partnerships to attract investors.
The forum reaffirmed RMRDC’s commitment to advancing agro-based industrialisation and supporting sustainable growth through the development of Nigeria’s non-oil sector.
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