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to 2005 placed initial emphasis on cassava production, although it soon became clear that
a balance between crop production and the development of downstream processing, being
undertaken as a second phase (2007–2014) was required to ensure that farmers benefitted
from the increased yields. The multiplication and distribution of improved varieties planting
materials involved the development of improved varieties and their multiplication at specific
MoFA primary multiplication sites. Government, IFAD, other partner institutions, and the
beneficiaries themselves jointly financed this. From the primary sites, cassava cuttings were
supplied to contract farmers, located in each district, who acted as secondary multipliers thus
ensuring that the new varieties were readily available to as many other farmers as possible.
The secondary multipliers were trained in agronomic and sanitary practices associated with
production and handling of cassava cuttings. Inspectors from the MoFA Plant Protection and
Regulatory Services (PPRS) certified that varieties were genuine and free from disease.
In addition Government improved road access to production areas for transport of farm
produce to point-of-sale or processing. Small-scale processing facilities owned by private smallscale
processors are widely distributed and large processing facilities, also privately owned,
buy cassava from smallholder farmers to produce industrial starch and alcohol.
Achievements. The rapid decline in cassava production has been reversed, new diseaseresistant,
high-yielding varieties have been developed and are now widely grown, improving
household and national food security and importantly providing a basis for industrial processing
of new products. This was supported by Government-provided infrastructure, including new
feeder roads, irrigation and processing facilities. As a result, cassava production has been
increasing substantially, providing an important source of cash income for rural households
(MoFA, 2010). At the same Ghana has moved from being the sixth largest cassava producer
in Africa to the fourth (FAOSTAT, 2010). A fall in the price of gari has also meant that urban
consumers have gained from the new varieties and processing technologies.
New or unresolved challenges. As in Nigeria, future growth will depend on the continued
development of industrial and livestock markets. Growth to date has largely focused on
markets for human food, while future gains will require on-going expansion into convenience
foods, livestock feeds and industrial products. Future processing, packaging and development
of industrial applications are necessary to sustain commercial expansion of cassava production
and milling. Private-sector innovation in processing and marketing will be crucial in sustaining
further cassava-led growth and private traders are likely to play a vital role in linking farmers
with markets.
Lessons learned for scaling up. Strong community involvement in planning and implementation
of agricultural innovation programmes is essential for sustainability and impact. Public actors
played two major roles in making cassava development possible, firstly through research
investment in cassava breeding and pest control programmes. As public goods, these contrast
with the development of hybrid maize varieties that are often private goods, requiring farmers
to purchase new seed each year. Cassava being vegetatively propagated means that farmers are
able to take root cuttings from existing plants to expand production. Consequently, vegetatively
propagated crops like cassava rarely attract private-sector investment. Secondly, policy played
a critical role. Reduced support for cereal crops radically altered the farmer decision-making
72 Agricultural Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa