Wednesday, June 17, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
DEVELOPMENT-AFRICA: Promoting Cassava as a Source of Food Security
Toye Olori
- Ways to transform cassava, or manioc, from its present low value status to an industrial raw material and export commodity of high value will be discussed at a five-day workshop, which begins in Ibadan, Nigeria next week.
More than 250 experts from Nigeria, Thailand, Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia will converge on the premises of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, southern Nigeria, for the workshop.
‘’The workshop aims at making cassava production, processing and trade competitive, profitable and efficient,” says Simeon Anga of the Cassava Development Consortium of Nigeria.
Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world, with over 33 million metric tonnes from a total area of 3.1 million hectares. Grown mainly in the south of Nigeria, cassava accounts for 70 percent of the total production of the tuber crop in West Africa.
Cassava is planted mainly by smallholder farmers (average farm size: 0.37-0.50 hectares) on upland areas, and dependent on seasonal rainfall.
‘’The lives of millions of people are linked to the crop in this most populous country in Africa with about 120 million people. In the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, cassava provides daily calorie intake to more than 200 million people. The cassava’s importance spans the whole of sub-Saharan Africa,” explains Anga.
Cassava is a staple in Nigeria, consumed in the form of garri (a hard porridge), and starch is made from its flour. Statistics show that 90 percent of cassava produced in Nigeria is consumed locally.
Experts say, cassava farmers in Nigeria still use primitive tools for production, which are not adequate to handle the expanded production needed for industrial utilisation.
Olusegun Oke, a member of the Presidential Initiative on Cassava Development in Nigeria, says next week’s workshop will address the fundamental problems of lack of competitiveness of cassava production; lack of export marketing and Nigeria’s position as a major player in the global cassava market. ‘’The workshop is the first step towards realising the objectives of the Presidential Initiative on Cassava,” Oke says.
‘’Unlike cocoa, where the produce is exported for processing, cassava will be processed and marketed locally, thereby creating jobs. There is no glut in cassava production. We presently eat 90 percent of our cassava but we want to increase production and process much of it as a source of foreign currency. It is a better money-spinner than cocoa,” he adds.
Taye Babaleye, spokesperson for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), says cassava often suffers from problems associated with post-harvest handling because of its high moisture content (70/80 percent). And it starts to decay within 2-4 days of harvesting.
But, the introduction of improved post-harvest handling facilities developed by the IITA has helped to expand market demand, and extend the shelf’s life, he says.
‘’Increased attention should be paid to the potential of cassava as a source of food security, as well as a cash crop, as evidenced by the recent launching of the Presidential Initiative on cassava in Nigeria. In view of the current importance of cassava in Nigeria, coupled with its potential to serve as an engine for future agricultural development, Nigerian industrialists should rise up to the challenge of making cassava production, processing and utilisation competitive,” says Babaleye.
A study, involving 16 African countries, shows that cassava is not only a food security crop but also a good, commercial crop and an important source of cash income for many farming families in Africa. Almost half of all cassava harvested in Africa is sold, and not eaten by the grower, according to the survey.
‘’Cassava has a tremendous potential to contribute to food security, rural income and national economy. Because of its year round availability, tolerance to extreme ecological stress conditions and impoverished soils, and suitability to existing farming and food systems, cassava is playing a major role in efforts to alleviate food crisis and rural poverty, and has many industrial uses,” Babaleye says.
‘’Opportunities for commercial development remain largely undeveloped, in contrast to the other major zones of cassava cultivation in Asia and South America. While providing a major contribution to the feeding of the population, cassava possesses tremendous potential for future exploitation and as such provides a key to the country’s future course of development,” he says. Nigeria wants to ensure increased cassava production, thereby creating jobs and mopping up jobless persons on the streets.
‘’From 10 tonnes per hectare of current cassava yield, we intend to encourage farmers to produce between 20 and 40 tonnes per hectare. They will also begin to produce purpose-driven cassava, which will have ready markets even before harvest. At present there is no organised market, there are millions of small-holder farmers and the cost of gathering small-holder cassava enough to get what the factories need, is very high,” says Anga.
He calls on all the 776 local governments in Nigeria to invest in large-scale cassava production within their areas. He says 34 million tonnes of cassava root is presently being produced each year and even if half of that is exported, income from the source will be significant.
‘’If Africa is to feed itself then all possible options need to be considered. The use of traditional crops such as cassava, should be reviewed and further explored rather than ignored in favour of growing, or even importing, modern and perhaps less suitable crops,” he argues.
Print
|
DEVELOPMENT-AFRICA: Promoting Cassava as a Source of Food Security
Toye Olori
- Ways to transform cassava, or manioc, from its present low value status to an industrial raw material and export commodity of high value will be discussed at a five-day workshop, which begins in Ibadan, Nigeria next week.
(more…)
Print
|
