Foreign Direct Investment in Blantyre, Malawi - Millennium Cities ...

Value Chain Analysis
Production
Cassava does not require chemical fertilizers, and it can grow under serious moisture stress as well as in
marginal soils without a significant drop in yields. 64
Further, cassava is known for its ease of cultivation
since it does not require many inputs or extensive labor.
In Malawi, small farms dominate cassava production. Smallholder farmers grow cassava on small plots in
mixed stands with other food crops such as cowpeas, maize and sweet potato, particularly among
households in the southern region where land is a major production constraint. A small number of farmers
have begun to commercialize cassava production. However, most production is still un-mechanized by
smallholder farmers: farm plots under half a hectare account for 79 percent of the cultivated cassava crop
area in Malawi, while farm plots under one hectare account for 96 percent of all crop area in Malawi.
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Thus, there is virtually no commercial production of cassava in the country.
Processing
Cassava is a versatile crop that can be processed into a number of products. Cassava can be processed into
food products for household consumption, pellets for animal feed, and starch-based products that have
various industrial applications.
Food Products
The processing of the root adds value by removing toxins and reducing the water content, which reduces
the weight, thereby facilitating transportation and extending the product’s shelf life. Upon detoxification
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and processing, the root can be processed into chips or flour for human consumption.
Raw cassava roots and leaves are fit for human consumption. The root is a rich source of carbohydrates,
while the leaves provide proteins and minerals. Cassava roots have a very high water content—typically
around 70 percent. Cassava roots contain a naturally-occurring toxin—cyanohydrin, a derivative of
cyanide—that lends a bitter taste to the root. However, the toxin can be removed by peeling, grating, or
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squeezing the root.
Industrial Products
The cassava root can be processed into starch that has a wide variety of uses. Different varieties of
starches and starch-based products can be manufactured for industrial uses and can be enhanced through
simple value-addition techniques or highly complex chemical transformations. Starches subject to
complex value-addition techniques are called “modified starches” and unmodified starches are called
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“native starches.”
The native and modified starches can be used for a wide variety of purposes:
• Thickening agent: Cassava flour is mainly used in bakery products and cassava starch can be
used as a general thickening agent. Modified cassava starch or starch derivatives have been used
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Toomey, David C., Patricia Aust Sterns, and Charles Jumbe (2001). The Impact of Improved Grades and Standards on the
Export Potential of Targeted Commodities in Malawi PFID-F&V Report, (East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University and
United States Agency for International Development).
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Haggblade, Steven and Ballard Zulu (December 1-3 ). "The Recent Cassava Surge in Zambia and Malawi," InWEnt, IFPRI,
NEPAD, CTA Successes in African Agriculture Conference.
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FAO. "World Cassava Situation and Recent Trends, "The World Cassava Economy.
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Ibid.
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Ibid.
FDI in Blantyre Page 26