Adding Value to Kenaf: Panacea for Economic Diversification II

There are clear indications from the article that the development of value additions for kenaf in Nigeria is having significant impact on economic development and diversification of the nation and poverty reduction among the masses. The full potential of the development of value additions for kenaf as an engine for economic diversification must be realized in Nigeria. Adding value to kenaf is the process of changing or transforming it from its original state (plant biomass) to a more valuable state. The overarching strategy of the kenaf value addition is to turn the kenaf sector in Nigeria into a major player in local and international biodegradable packaging materials, pulp and paper, bio-composites and bio-absorbents industries by adopting improved production and processing technologies and organizing farmers and industrialists into efficient value-added chains. From this article, using bio-degradable packaging bags (jute bags) as a case study, it is expected that the importation of produce bags supposed to be terminated by the year 2020. However, the processing capacity would be increased in a progressive manner in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. There would be no processing by the year 2018, it could be expected that this year would be adequately used for the production and stock piling of kenaf plants and fiber (raw material). While the export capacity would be progressively increased in 2020, 2021 and 2022. By this, from the year 2020 upwards there will be exportation of produce bags from Nigeria markets to the international markets. Annual projected number of jobs in the produce bag value chain would be increased in a progressive manner in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. It is evident that as a promising industrial crop, kenaf value addition should draw more attention from the government and private entrepreneurs in combining the national policies on agricultural rebirth and industrial growth for kenaf value chains development as panacea for economic diversification.