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BUILDING EBA-DRIVEN AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVE- NESS by HARNESSING CASSAVA VALUE CHAIN Inside EBAFOSA October-December 2018 | Issue 19 www.ebafosa.org BUILDING EBA-DRIVEN AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVE- NESS BY HARNESSING CASSAVA VALUE CHAIN Inside Africa holds a significant global comparative advantage as the largest POLICY NEWS cassava producer. It is also the most inclusive sector – agriculture. Innovations for EBA-driven Meaning maximizing its productivity stands to put more money in most poc- Agricultural value chains in kets to orchestrate inclusive wealth. This crop is not only climate resilient - Africa it fuels the lucrative allergen-free foods subsector generating over $20 billion e Cassava Strategy: e each year. This means, Africa could enhance its competitiveness and tap transformation rneeded $20 billion worth of income, jobs and enterprise opportunities each year. Cassava contributions Entities thrive first and foremost on turning areas of comparative advan- Strategies to deepen the tage into competitive edge, to pull ahead of competition and Africa will be Cassava industrialization no dierent. Reaping these benefits however calls for industrializing the PROJECT NEWS sector. Where clean energy developments – an area where Africa also has Smallholders farmers project yet another comparative advantage . This will however require innovative Cassava agro-industrializa- enablers in policy, finance and markets discussed in-depth in this issue. tion in Buganda Kingdom REGISTER FOR EBAFOSA MEMBERSHIP AT EVENTS & CLIMATE WARNINGS WWW.INNOVATIVEVOLUNTEERISM.EBAFOSA.ORG EBAFOSA POLICY NEWS AFRICA Newsletter October - December 2018—Issue 19 2018—Issue - December October Innovations for Agricultural Value Chains in Africa: Enhancing the Cassava Value Chain Cassava is an important staple crop in Africa claims 62 percent of the total world One of the major challenges for cassava sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Most cassava production. Africa is the largest producer of producers and processors is access to is produced on smallholder farms with cassava, with Nigeria leading the world with markets and creating interest in new family labour using hand tools and without nineteen percent of global market share. In market opportunities. These include, use of external inputs. Across SSA, cassava sub-Saharan Africa, cassava is cultivated on for example: high quality cassava flour ; is mainly used for human consumption. small farms often in fields to be set aside as improved and more convenient versions Cassava is Africa‘s second most important fallow and often cropped on marginal soils, of traditional processed products; starch, food staple in terms of calories consumed replacing crops that require greater soil fertility sugar syrups; use in livestock feed rations; per capita and is a major source of calories and cultivation. Cassava also is associated with use for bio-ethanol production; and energy for roughly two out. of every five Africans. mixed cropping systems. Cassava roots can drinks. High quality cassava flour is of remain in the ground for 18 months or more particular interest because it can be used Traditionally cassava was seen as a without spoiling; however once unearthed has as a substitute for 10 percent or potentially food security crop, but production has roughly a two day shelf life without treatment. more wheat flour in pies, pastries, cakes, expanded rapidly in SSA in response to Over the past years, cassava production in biscuits, and doughnuts and has some increasing demand (rapidly expanding sub-Saharan Africa has risen substantially, industrial applications. Cassava flour and urbanizing population). Resembling a but most of the gains in overall production are is also commonly converted into sugar sweet potato, cassava is a starchy root crop attributed to an increase in the area of land syrups used to produce ethyl alcohol. High that develops underground. The edible, cultivated rather than an increase in yield. quality cassava flour has the potential to tuberous root grows between 15 to 100 completely replace imported, starch-based centimeters and ranges in mass between The form in which cassava is used and adhesives. Livestock feeds rely primarily 0.5 and 2.0 kilograms. It holds the position consumed varies across Africa. The majority on dried cassava pellets and can be used as a primary food security crop in Africa due of cassava is consumed either as fresh roots or domestically or exported. Use of processed to its resistance to drought and disease, as traditional processed products. Processing cassava in these products, however, is flexible planting and harvest cycle, and is important because of the perishability of the highly dependent on quality and price, tolerance of low-quality soils. Cassava can fresh roots, which limits marketing. Cassava which relates significantly to processing remain in the ground for up to 18 months consumption patterns vary between East and efficiency and on farm yields. after reaching maturity (or more in the case West Africa. For example, Ugandans consume of some varieties) and is well suited for a 80 percent of their cassava crop largely in raw Appropriate institutions and region that suffers both environmental and form (i.e., cooked fresh roots), while Nigeria endowments are needed as well as political hardships. uses most of its cassava in processed forms .The ‘getting the prices right’ in order to induce enhanced production of processed cassava market-based development If cassava can Total world cassava utilization is products throughout sub-Saharan Africa is of be processed in a more efficient manner, it projected to reach 275 million tons by significant interest because of the potential for stands to gain in domestic demand as well 2020 with some researchers estimating increasing smallholder farmers’ income (given as a potential export. the number closer to 291 million tons. cassava production patterns in Africa, which is concentrated among smallholders). page 2 POLICY NEWS EBAFOSA AFRICA Newsletter October- December 2018—Issue 19 2018—Issue December October- THE CASSAVA STRATEGY: TRANSFORMING A TRADITIONAL TROPICAL ROOT CROP IN AFRICA The vision for cassava in Africa is that if the Fresh roots and leaves are used primarily as growing export market for fresh cassava cassava food system is improved, human food. Because of their perishability, (if it is packaged in an attractive and useful it will enhance rural industrial development most roots are usually consumed or marketed manner. The potential for fresh cassava and raise incomes for producers, processors close to the centres of production. Traditional in producing countries represents growth and traders. Cassava will contribute more to methods for preserving fresh roots include first through concentration although the food security status of its producing and packing roots in moist mulch or by removing competition and innovation are important consuming households, and will become leaves two weeks prior to harvest to prolong factors as well. The potential for fresh an even more important cash crop that can root shelf-life to two weeks. In Colombia, cassava in non-producing countries promote rural development. Cassava is the CIAT researchers found that preservative represents growth through competition basis of a multitude of products, including food, treatments such as dipping in wax or paraffin and innovation. flour, animal feed, alcohol, starches for sizing of fresh roots followed by storage in plastic bags reduced vascular streak and extended paper and textiles, sweeteners, prepared foods Major strategy concerns: growth storage for three to four weeks. Roots can be and biodegradable products. The products are through concentration suggests needs peeled, chopped into chunks and frozen for derived from a number of forms of cassava, to improve production, storage and specialized markets. ranging from fresh leaves and roots to modified processing technology, and improved cassava starch. The degree of processing and infrastructure. the technical requirements tends to increase Cassava leaves can be eaten as a fresh from the fresh form to the modified starch form. vegetable, ground fresh and frozen in In this regard reducing pest and disease preservation bags, or dried and ground for attack, particularly on sweet varieties, sale . Leaves are more nutritionally balanced reducing HCN levels in roots and leaves, All of the above products represent potential than the roots and can help to prevent certain weed control, and lowering overall costs market development opportunities for deficiency diseases. Leaves, however, may be of production and processing are priority cassava. high in hydrocyanic acid, but the HCN can needs. Growth through competition and be reduced to safe levels in most cases when While some cassava is sold as fresh roots innovation requires input from various the liquid is squeezed out after grinding and or leaves, even these products usually sectors in the supply chain. There will through evaporation during cooking. receive some special post-harvest handling be a need to develop and adopt new or treatment before they are consumed. processing techniques to maintain the As cassava normally requires some form of Potential for fresh cassava freshness of cassava and promote the processing before it can be consumed or sold, Higher incomes and urbanization are convenience of the product in fresh form. processing becomes of central importance associated with greater consumption In many instances the need for promotion in the future of the crop. While the market of convenience foods and foods that will be a key component
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