Fidelia Okafor.

A Bill which seeks to encourage cassava farming on Wednesday scaled second reading at the floor of the Nigerian Senate.

The proposed legal framework sponsored by Senator Rose Oko (Cross River North) is titled “A Bill for an Act to provide for a legal framework for the cassava inclusion policy of the federal government to encourage cassava farming and for other matters connected therewith, 2017 (SB.152)”

In her lead debate, Oko who spoke on the importance of the Bill, noted that it was timely, considering the Federal Government’s commitment towards diversifying the economy, using agriculture.

Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North) who spoke in support of the Bill, submitted that it “will create more jobs for youths who are interested in Agriculture.”

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary, however, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Agriculture to report back in 4 weeks.