Exploring best options for the inclusion of rural poor in cassava value chain: lessons from...

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org

…., the task is too difficult for them

Women and children are here,

where are the men?


Exploring best options for the inclusion of

rural poor in cassava value chain: lessons

from small-scale cassava processing in

East and Southern Africa

Abass Adebayo


Stable yield even during harsh weather

Stores well underground

Suitable for piecemeal harvesting – Household food security

Many varieties (improved) are tolerant to diseases

An ideal crop for food security

An export crop in the past (Madagascar, Tanzania, Uganda)

An up-and-coming industrial raw material (Zambia, Tanzania,

Madagascar)

Importance of cassava in ESA


0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

FAOSTAT, 2011

Production (million MT)

Yield (tons/ha)

Production and yield, 2008


8.8

9.0

11.4

10.1

13.5

16.3

31.6

18.4

Southern Africa

Eastern Africa

Central Africa

Western Africa

Africa

South America

Eastern Asia

Southern Asia

South-Eastern Asia

Yield (tons/ha)

Low yield = Lack of global competitiveness


Postharvest Issues

Storage of harvested roots Processing

1. Boiling/Roasting/Frying

2. Hand grating/pounding of fresh roots

3. Fermentation Heap fermentation Soaking

4. Pounding of dried chips to flour

5. Sun-drying

Storage of dried cassava

Pounding

Drying

Postharvest methods


High labor input

Long processing time

Small output

High postharvest loss

High contamination: poor quality & safety

Knowledge of processing machinery

fabrication – developing

Scale-up problems for processing/ lack of

examples for the private sector to follow.

Postharvest constraints

Women do the hard work

Pounding

Drying


Use of contaminated water, or lack of it, for processing .

Most fermentation practices promote fungi growth with

potential aflatoxins contamination and discoloration

Factors contributing to poor quality & safety of products

Drying

Soaking


Occasional inadequate processing methods

o Short-cuts

o Repeated use of soak water

Contamination during storage

Unhygienic handling, transportation and trading practices

HandlingStorage in the attics


Low yield + high labor for processing+

Poor product quality & safety

= Low market price


-200.0

-150.0

-100.0

-50.0

0.0

50.0

100.0

150.0

Production Processing Production and Processing

US$

/far

me

r/ye

ar

Southern zone Eastern zone Lake zone

Profitability of traditional cassava production and

processing in Tanzania

to limit losses, farmers do not use hired labor and they allocate

land for cassava production based on available family labor


Farmers’ coping strategy : Cassava for food and less for cash

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Southern zone Eastern zone Lake zone

Food

Sale

higher proportion of farm output is for home consumption

%

Tanzania


Value chain activities through special projects:

IITA’s Value Chain interventions:

Formulate value addition interventions that utilize collective action to correct scale- and knowledge-related market failures

Some examples:

2003 -2007: Small scale cassava processing project - Phase I

2004/2005: CIAT/IITA – Starch Project and Livelihoods project

2009-2010: UPoCA

2009-2011: CAVA

2009 – 2013: Small scale cassava processing project - Phase II


…..to investigate and develop a sequence of inter-linked

agents and markets to transform cassava into products with

attributes for which consumers are prepared to pay.

Set-up value chain models…..


Step 1: Partnership formation: NARES, selected beneficiaries/

actors along the value chain

Step 2: Value chain analysis and benchmarking

Step 3: Introduction of technologies or innovations through training

of value chain actors

End 1

Step 4: Monitoring of the value chain performance

Step 5: Evaluation or impact measurement 2

Setting-up the laboratory……. Development?

Collecting the data…..… Research


how cassava can be used as input for food, feed and industrial

raw material ;

what factors are associated with its passage through several

marketing or supply channels, including its transformation?

how much and at which stage of the channels value is added

to it;

how the value can be maximized at the least possible total

cost for the competitive advantage of every chain actor?

Issues of interest…..


Train and backstop equipment manufacturers in

machinery design and fabrication

Technology introduction : Machinery


Raised area dryingGrating/Chipping/

Pressing

High quality grits/flour

Collective action for small-scale processing :Introduce improved processing methods and related

technologies

Mechanized chipping, grating, pressing, starch extraction, raised area drying.

Delivery for industrial use

Starch settling


BiscuitPaper/packaging

Bread and other PastriesTraining and

In-factory testing

of cassava

Large scale bakeries

Work with industries to increase technical possibility of cassava

use in industrial processes

…to diversify

market options

for cassava

farmers


Partnerships with national food regulatory agencies to establish the

mechanisms for verifying to consumers the quality, food safety, and/or

production methods of cassava products. The following standards are

now operational in at least 7 countries

1. Fresh (Sweet)Cassava Roots – Specification

2. Dried Cassava Chips– Specification

3. Cassava Crisps –Specification

4. Composite Flour- Specification

5. Cassava Flour – Specification

6. Cassava Starch – Specification

7. Assay for Total Cyanogens

Standards/certification (CRP2)


*EAS 740:2010 & TZS 466: 2010 :- Cassava Flour – Specification

Microbial quality compliance test in Tanzania, 2010

Microbial tests Values Tolerance

levels*

Comment

Total plate count, cfu/g 6.7 x 104 -

Total coliforms, cfu/g 1.1 x 103 -

E. coli, cfu/g 9.3 x 101 Shall be absent Not compliant

Yeast and mould, cfu/g 2.6 x 103 103

Salmonella, cfu/g Not detected Shall be absent

Vibrio cholerea, cfu/ g Not detected -

Assessment of quality and safety of products from mechanized

and traditional processing


Products tested Brazzaville, Congo Tanzania

Aflatoxin B1

(ppm)

Fumonisin

(ppm)

Aflatoxin B1

(ppm)

Cassava chips 0.35a 0.008a 0.28a

Cassava flour 0.31a 0.009a

Cassava chips: 4

month- storage

0.89b

Maize 1.07b 0.42b -

Aflatoxin B1 and Fumonisin in traditional cassava flour and chips,

2008-2009

On-going: Assessment of quality and safety of products from

traditional and mechanized processing in Tanzania, Madagascar and

Zambia


Application of food quality and safety management measures that prevent microbial and chemical contaminants

(CRP2/CRP3-RTB)

Process control

1. Both low and high in cyanide varieties are processed: mild

processing techniques - chipping and quick drying may pose

safety risks

2. Water from rivers is used without pre-treatment.

3. Processing machines: graters and chipper, are made of mild steel

4. Weevil infestation problems during storage

Assessment of 21 processing units in Tanzania, Malawi and

Mozambique for quality management practices……


Hygiene

1. Sun-drying during wet seasons provides ample time for

multiplication of spoilage microorganisms.

2. Public service hammer mills contaminate cassava flour

3. Most processors lack good drainage systems

4. Processors do not have necessary cleaning and

sanitation tools.

5. No hand-washing facilities nor hygiene rules

6. Occasional weevil infestation during storage

Assessment of processing units ……


Control measures to prevent health hazards/quality defects

Good Manufacturing Practices

Good Hygienic Practices

Quality management guidelines for cassava and training of

processors

Quality management procedures or guidelines.

Training on quality management and compliance.

Processors and extension agents


Tanzania

Assessment of value chain and actors’ performance


Pilot site type

Labor use: man-day/ processing-day

Capacity utilization/day of operation(%)

Profitability- IRR or NPV

Chips 4 59% 135%

Flour 1 19 48% -9806 US$

Flour 2 20 100% 77%

Starch 8 100% 91%

Assessment of the technical efficiency and potential profitability of the village processing units in Tanzania


Raw material supply

o Seasonal variation in availability and cost of fresh roots; non-

uniformity in quantity and quality.

Scale of technology

o Sun-drying was a major constraint - irregular processing, low

volumes & inconsistent quality

Poor image

o Cassava is a subject of many myths and half-truths

Infrastructure

o Limited access to water, bad roads, poor transport systems and

lack of processing equipment

Low purchasing power:

o Farmers can’t afford purchase of machines; no low-cost credits

The challenges of small scale village processing, 2007-2008


o Ability to operate the plants at a high capacity utilization.

o Efficient use of inputs such as labor.

o Ability to maintain quality of products.

o Availability of sufficient raw material at low cost.

o Access to product market.

o Good managerial skills.

o Efficient support infrastructure (water, roads and

transport systems).

Determinants of profitability and overall success of village processing units


CountryHQCF Cassava

Chips for Feed

Raw cassava equivalent

raw material supplyas % of annual production

Tanzania 47,500 45,000 370,000 6.0%

Madagascar

9,400 36,000 181,600 8.0%

Zambia 7,720 45,000 210,900 22.0%

Potential market opportunities for cassava products

(tons/year)


0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Manual Chipper Powered Chipper

Grater Dewatering machine

Processing machines


Mechanized processing systems by zone


Categories of cassava value chain promoters

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

(Oct.)

Research Centers/Universities Dev. Agencies/NGOs

District Governments Private Sector/Farmers

Number of processing machines purchased


2010:

> 140 village

processing groups

2004:

< 8 village

processing groups

Spread of mechanized village processing groups in Tanzania, 2010


Southern zone of Tanzania, 2009

Assessment of small scale village processing groups, 2009

23

87

15

6

3 3

6

17

64

9

0

5

10

15

20

25

Mtwara Rural Newala Tandahimba Masasi

Village processing units (All) Processing regularly

Not processing regularly

Are the village processing groups processing regularly?


0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Group problems (disorganized, poor or lack of commitment, bad or weak leadership)

Water problems (expensive, limited access, lack)

Competiton from fermented cassava (makopa)

Poor skills (business, processing)

No training

Machine problem (Old, poor, not installed)

Market problems (none, far distance)

No processing shed

Simply doing nothing

Constraints of the village processing groups

53 Village processing units/groups


0.050.0

100.0150.0200.0250.0300.0350.0

Selling price (US$/t) Costs (US$/t) % Profit

Local flour sold at factory gate HQCF delivered to end-users

Chips delivered to end-users Chips sold at factory gate

Assessment of mechanized processing versus traditional methods?

81.3%

61.4%

Profitability assessment using four different scenarios, 2009


Cassava Products USD/tonRural villages Dried chips (Udaga) 27-133Villages near cities Fresh cassava in the soil 10

Dried chips for animals 200

Dried chips for human 200-333

Cassava cuttings (500 pieces) 1

Processing centers near the cities High Quality Cassava Chips 267

Farmers near processing centers

Peeled roots at processing plant gate 33High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) 333

Market options for cassava in Tanzania, 2009


Targeting market according to realizable capacities of the

smallholder actors in the value chain.

Targeted scale-based market linkages among producers, processors and end-users (CAVA)

Farmers

Processors

End-users

Village


Potential demand for hqcf = 488 tons/year

Training of 70 end-user industries in Malawi villages


Potential demand for hqcf= 1089 tons/year

Training of end-user industries in Uganda villages


Possible price for hqcf in Uganda on the basis of 75% of the on-going price of wheat flour = US$ 562-590/ton


1. Linking smallholder producers to market (CRP2)

Standards/certification

o The impact of Standardization on product quality,

market access and livelihoods (On-going student study

with WU)

Conditions under which value chain innovations can lead to

tangible impacts on smallholders’ income and food security (In

collaboration with impact analysts - Nigeria, Tanzania,

Madagascar, Zambia)

On-going value chain activities & Future work


Additional studies

(a) Mechanisms by which change agents and smallholders

responded to the value chain innovations

(b) Conditions that favour adoption of the innovations

(c) Tangible impacts that accrued to the beneficiaries

(d) Conditioning factors and policies to promote stronger growth

in the processed cassava markets in ways that reduce

smallholder risks

(e) Best strategy for using hqcf to reduce the vulnerability of rural

and urban poor to the global cereal price volatility.


End-Users

Bread and biscuit bakers flour mills textile mills plywood & adhesive

factories breweries supermarkets, etc

Intermediate processors

Out grower farmers


Out grower farmers


Out grower farmers


Out grower farmers

Final processors

(Mechanical dryer)

Village processors & business groups

LocalEntrepreneursFarmers

750 tons HQCF per year

HQCF supply chain development – Ongoing; with national partners


Selecting appropriate drying technologies


Application of food quality and safety management

measures that prevent microbial and chemical contaminants

Unit operations responsible for mycotoxins contamination in

cassava products (On-going)

2. Food quality and safety


The role of microorganisms in post CBSD infection root

deterioration and effect on food quality and yield

o In collaboration with pathologists

4. Food Quality profiling of new germplasms including food yield and

starch properties

3. Prevention of food losses: the role of microbes in secondary

infection of CBSD infected roots

Exploring best options for the inclusion of rural poor in cassava value chain: lessons from...

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