To transform agriculture for national development, the Federal Government yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kwara State government on cassava production.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Government House, Ilorin, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who signed on behalf of the Federal Government, said the MoU was designed to encourage the cultivation of cassava in commercial scale in the state.

He added that the move was borne out of the success story of the Shonga commercial farming initiative of the state government and Molete Youth Integrated Training Farm.

The objectives of the MoU, according Akinwumi, is to facilitate market outlet for 660,000 tonnes of cassava in the short-term, upgrade five small and medium scale enterprises producing high quality cassava flour, conduct infrastructure and equipment upgrade for eight clusters of food processors, among others.