Issues and Challenges for Cassava in West and Central ... - FIDAfrique

Issues and Challenges for
Cassava in West and Central
Africa
Alfred Dixon, et al.
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
Ibadan, Nigeria

Cassava is an appropriate commodity to feature in SSA future
economic development: national, regional and international
markets and trade (GCDS, NEPAD, ECOWAS. etc.)
Five main roles: famine reserve crop; rural food staple; cash crop for
urban consumption; industrial raw material; and foreign exchange
earner
But
Too much emphasis on production (cyclic glut and disincentive)
Cassava production per se: NOT THE
CHALLENGE

Production
Higher volume Lower
Price
Production
Low volume High Price
Kg per person
AVOIDING the SEESAW
The glut challenge
Production (Supply)
Food (Demand)
1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2004
Price

The challenge today is to:
increase productivity, marketing opportunities and
profitability
Shift from
Production-oriented Research for Development
(Supply as the driver)
to
Market-oriented Research for Development
(Market as the driver)

Issues : Efficiency/competitiveness and modernization
Why?
Restricted market opportunities for the final products
and expanded production
Impeded by high cost of production, and
product qualities both of which are results of
dependence on traditional production and
processing technologies

Production is smaller-holder, subsistence, and
fragmented
System is complex
Lacks economy of scale
Rudimentary equipment
No agrochemicals/inputs
unreliable supply
uneven product quality
low producer prices
costly marketing structure
• Low-scale farming: not choice but careful and realistic
adjustment to resources available to farmers
low use of inputs
rudimentary
technologies
large post-harvest
losses
minimal processing

Costs per unit weight of output:
Constant as yield increased, because the processing technique
employed was manual with a low level of capital investment
• About 10% of the processors could produce cassava pellets below the
world market price
35
• Processing cost of pellets in 1996 (Note: N80 =
30
approx. US$ 1)
Naira per ton (1000)
25
20
15
Mean Cost= N22,000
World Market Price (FOB) = N 13,000
10
0 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99
Frequency (%) of processing units
Source: Nweke, F. I. and J. K. Lynam. 1997. Cassava in Africa. African Journal of Root and Tuber Crops,
2: 10-13.

Field production costs (cost of planting materials and field
operations’ labor per unit weight of output) :
declines as yield increases because most of such costs
are constant per unit area, irrespective of the yield

Constraints being faced today by cassava production in WCA
Non-commercial production systems in small and fragmented
farm holdings (0.2 – 2 ha., Ave: 0.5 ha): crop of last resort
High production and processing costs and poor product qualities
Emerging pest threat (cassava mosaic disease variants, Cassava
brown streak disease, African root and tuber scale)
Absence of strong producers and processors’ organizations

Untapped market opportunities, absence of sustainable
market information systems, and availability of reliable data
Inadequate access to credit and other inputs to
producers/processors
Inadequate number of relevant agro-processing industries
Energy
Constraints cont’d
Globalization and trade liberalization (WTO)

Addressing the constraints
The New Approach for a New Century:
We must produce food in ways that create wealth
Food security is not just meal on the table or in the mouth
but also money in the pocket
Increase the productivity of the entire cassava food system to
drive down the price of cassava to rural and urban
consumers and other end-users
Emphasizing only production technologies, will be
selling cassava short

Address all constraints from production to consumption through
synchronised and integrated approach in the commodity chain
Activity Framework
Outcome
Technology development/assessment
Technology transfer
Enterprise development
Market development and trade
Human and institutional capacity
building
Impact assessment
Commodity chain approach
Productivity increased
Agro-input enterprises developed
Improved quality
Reduced post harvest losses
Value adding
Markets
Markets
diversified
diversified
Rural incomes increased
Diets diversified

Pathway
Developing commercial “windows” for producers through
organization, technology and improved products and
enhancing marketing linkages of cassava produce with high
levels of added-value
Subsistence
Meet subsistence needs
Commercialization needs science:
Complex Problems: Development + science = better
Commercial use

Ongoing or proposed research activities
1. Intensification and commercialization of cassava including land
development
2. Mechanization with appropriate equipment (production and
postharvest)
3. Participatory methods and processes
4. Postharvest processing, quality and standards
5. Supply chain structure and management
6. Sustainable MIS and linkages to market
7. Private sector investment and involvement
8. Public-private partnerships
9. Soliciting for adequate funding for R&D
10. Policy dialogue for the necessary infrastructure and enabling
environment

More efficient field production (increase productivity)
Better services to field production (response to inputs)
Development and delivery of technologies geared to more
efficient production, postharvest and marketing operations
More attention to postharvest (quality and quantity) for
defined markets)
Networking, partnership and cooperation to strengthen
national organizations
Policy and advocacy
Focus!

Germplasm development
Multiple pest resistance
Early maturity
High fresh, dry and starch yield
High beta carotene
Low HCN and root mealiness
Suitability for Intercropping
Weed suppression
Ease of peeling
Varieties for Specific products
• Maggi cube
• Ethanol
• Quality gari
• Quality flour
• Quality starch
• Quality fufu
• Quality leaves
• Animal feeds

Empirical data from baseline study: labour costs increased 4
times in real terms in last 15 years
We must mechanize!!!
Don’t use heavy machinery in fragile soils
Promote use of light machinery such the
rugged power tiller and accessories
1 ha/hour /3 persons
Manual planting:
1ha/day (12 persons)
US$/ton
Cost Reduction Effects
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
100% 13.6% 11.6% 27.9% 40.5%
29.4
Traditional
system
25.4
Improved
varieties
26
Mechanized
planting
21.2
Mechanized
planting and
harvesting
17.5
Mechanized
planting
&harvesting
&improved
varieties

Postharvest consideration
Top 5 varieties released in 2005 by the
Nigerian National committee on the
registration and release of crop varieties
and livestock breeds: 98/0505, TME 419,
97/2205, 98/0581, 98/0510
• Yield > 25 t/ha, DM >30%, CMDresistant
Industrial Food Livestock
1 M98/0028 95/0289 97/2205
2 TME419 92/0057 M98/0040
3 97/4763 96/1632 99/6012
4 98/0505 TME419 98/0510
5 M98/0040 98/0505 96/1565
6 99/6012 97/2205 92/0325
7 96/0523 98/0581 M98/0028
8 92/0325 92/0326 TME 419
9 97/2205 92B/00061 97/4763
10 M98/0068 98/0510 98/0581

Developing cassava-based Livestock Feeds & Feedstuff Industry
“Cassava leaf”
The tropical Alfafa &
renewable green gold
Nigeria is loosing $7bn/P.A from nonexploitation
of this resource
Feed for Poultry
Animal feed pellets
Feed for
Pig

Domestic Marketing Network and Cross Border Trade
Number of rural markets
Lagos
Kebbi
Sokoto
Zamfara
Bayelsa
Anambra
Rivers
Abuja
Imo
Katsina
Enugu Abia
Akwa Ibom
Ebonyi
Kano
Banda
Uzairue (Kogi)
Gombe
(Edo)
Kaduna
Bauchi
Urhonigbe
Agor (Edo)
Niger
(Edo)
Adamawa
Ujiogba
Plateau
Ankpa
Kwara
(Edo)
20 (Kogi)
Nassarawa
Ugbogha Oyo
%
Ayangba
Taraba
(Edo)
Ekiti
Kogi
20 (Kogi)
Figure Osun
Ugbogui
1. Rural markets supplying various cassava products
Benue % Cassava growing Aviele regions
Ogun
Ondo
(Edo)
Marginal (Edo)
Oworo 450
Edo
Major Awo
(Kogi)
Moderate (Kogi)
Okpella400
Ebelle
Delta
(Edo)
350
Abuja
(Edo)
Cassava Growing Population Area Rainfall
Okparake
regions (Million) Ehor (Sqkm) (Edo) (mm)
(FCT)
(Kogi) 300
Marginal 26.29 100, 041 500 - 1000
Magajiya
Moderate 27.73 Ejule 54, 568 1500 - 2800
300 250150
0 300 Km
(Kogi)
Major 34.27 (Kogi)
754,852 1000 - 1500
200
Ekpoma
150
(Edo)
Koton Karfe
Girinya
(Kogi)
100
(Kogi)
Keffi
Ibilo (Edo)
(Nasarawa) 50
Karala
Igueben
0 (Kogi) (Edo)
FRTU Kabacha FUFU CHKS FERF GARI ABCH FUFP Iruekpen STCH
(Kaduna) Cassava Products (Edo)
Itobe (Kogi)
20
%
20
%
15
10
%
%
20
10
%
%
20
25
%
%
20 20
50
% %
%
40
%
20
%
30
Yeruwata
(Benue)
40
10
%
20
20
%
%
10
%
%
20
%
10
%
30
%
20
20
%
% 30
%
20
Irrua (Edo)
% 30
%
100%
20
% %
Agbede
(Edo)
Cross River
Jigawa
Yobe
Lake Chad
Borno
K
1. Eight principal cassava products
are traded in the Nigerian local
markets
2. Gari and chips (flour) are the
most important cross border
traded commodities and the
volumes traded are large contrary
to expectations
3. Product prices differ by region
being most expensive in the north
& south and least expensive in the
central regions
4. Traditional market responds
easily to local demand through the
price mechanism and established
networks

Market Information System (MIS): missing link in market
development
- -
- -
No readily available disaggregated data that would allow comparisons of volumes,
prices, seasonality of supply and evaluations of opportunities in the domestic and
export markets
Weak databases that are either too old or too limited in content
Localised Information Service
- -
- -
Producers
- -
- -
Traders
Institutions/
Mechanisms
Industrial Demand
Agro-processor
No quick reference decision making tools to guide investments in agribusiness

www.cassavabiz.org

Improve on market analysis and forecasting
Sustainability
Challenges for MIS
Private Sector participation & funding (How will the
PS benefit?)

Capacity Building
Agro-input Dealers
Organization and Linkages
Market information service (MIS)
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Financial institutions
- -
- -
Clusters of farms,
MPCs/SMEs
Agro-allied industry

Linkages already in place
• Over 50 collaborating Institutions, in Nigeria alone

Supply
Side
Farmers
Producer
Organizations
(CGAN)
Partnerships required to help address constraints
Farmer
Business
Associations
&
Other Business Dev.
Service Providers
Global context for competition: national agribusiness strategy
Cassava Industry
Chips
Flour
Starch
Ethanol
Demand
Side
Exporters (APSE)
Processors
(e.g CAPAN, PAN, MBAN,
FMAN)
Traders &
Merchants (PS?)
Input Suppliers
(e.g. CEFAN, PSO)
Transporters
Related and Supporting Institutions (NURTW)
Government (e.g. FMARD, FMC, FMI, RTEP, etc)
Regulatory Agencies (e.g. NAFDAC, SON, Customs)
Research and Academic Institutions (e.g. IITA, other CG centers, ARI’s, NRCRI, NCAM,
Universities
Trade & Sub sector Associations (e.g. NASSI, NASME, Chambers of
Commerce, etc)
Financial Institutions and NGOs (e.g. MFIs)
Donors

Key issue regarding the processing and marketing of cassava
Development and utilization of appropriate (production and
processing) machinery to suit different economies of scale, yet
profitable, especially for drying and peeling to actualize the
|”Cassava Transformation” in WCA – Rank 1
Waste/residue management – Rank 2

Think Big
Start Small
Scale-out Fast
income
wellbeing
health
future