Highlights

Commercial Village Builds a New Cassava Processing Plant

Strong links to markets for smallholder farmers are essential to generating economic growth in rural areas and reducing hunger and poverty. These links also boost productivity, increase incomes and strengthen food security. Better access by smallholders to domestic and international markets means that they can reliably sell more produce at higher prices. Read More

Investment Symposium Explores Opportunities to Meet USD 48 Million Demand for Cassava and Sweet Potato Products in Africa

Although the combined market demand for both cassava and sweet potatoes is estimated at US$ 48 million per year, these gains have not been attained by smallholder farmers because of varied factors. Moreover, Africa is the world’s largest cassava producing region accounting for nearly 55% of the world’s cassava output. Yet, Africa’s processed yields are still the lowest in the world standing at only 10 tons per hectare compared to 26 tons per hectare in India. In line with this, FCI with support from Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) held a Cassava and Sweet potato Investment Forum at the Africa Regional office in early 2014 to discuss the opportunities available to meet this demand. Read More

Unearthed Business Opportunities in Cassava for Industrial Use (Animal Feeds, Human Foods, Starch and Ethanol) In Kenya and Tanzania

The Expanded Cassava Village Processing Project (ECVPP) implemented in Kenya and Tanzania targets to increase smallholder farmers’ productivity and market access to cassava and sweet potato. Statistics are revealing that there are untapped cassava business opportunities both in Kenya and Tanzania. According to FAO, in Tanzania, annual cassava production is estimated at 5,270,270MT against the annual demand for cassava by industrial consumers that is expected to reach 600,000 MT dry cassava (2,400,000MT fresh roots) following the Presidential Cassava Initiative that is promoting the use of cassava as an ingredient in bread and biscuits. In Kenya, annual cassava production is estimated at 662,405 MT fresh roots against an estimated annual demand of 301,200MT dry cassava Read More

Case Studies

Meet a 69 years old farmer who sold produce worth Ksh 150,000 (USD 1,765)

Four years ago, Bernard Ndawa, a member of Mbuvo commercial village (CV) was purely a subsistence farmer who was food insecure and a relief food recipient. He was always in the list of priority farmers when food aid was distributed in the area. Read More

Elina expands cassava farming and embarks on processing in Kilifi, Kenya (USD 1,765)

Elina Sultan is a farmer and a village frontline worker from Nyongoro Village in Kilifi who has been in the fore front campaigning on cassava commercialization under the Kenya Cassava Village Processing Initiative supported by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and implemented by Farm Concern International (FCI). Read More

Nitutonya Commercial Producer Group increase savings with plans to reinvest further in cassava

Nitutonya Commercial Producer Group (CPG) from Mwala started savings with a membership of 20, (12 women and 8 men). Each member contributes Ksh 100 per month. However, this was not enough for every member to borrow and purchase farm inputs. Members of Nitutonya CPG joined Itithini C.V and were trained on the Commercial Village Model, which emphasized on collective action.. Read More

Commercial Village makes Ksh. 2.5M from cassava chunks and chips every month

Commercialization of Cassava has opened an additional financial window to farmers from Tangakona Commercial Village (CV) in Busia, Kenya. Farmers have taken advantage of market demand to supply the much needed cassava and sweet potatoes planting materials in Busia and beyond. Read More

Commercial Village makes Ksh. 15,000,000 per month after adopting improved cassava varieties and proper drying methods

Members of Aten Commercial Village (CV) in Western Kenya have experienced increased sales of up to Kshs 15,000,000 (USD 16,3715.85) per month as a result of adopting improved cassava varieties, and proper drying procedures. After trainings conducted by Farm Concern International under the Kenya Cassava Village Processing Initiative supported by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and implemented by FCI, Aten CV adopted these new varieties and procedures leading to increased productivity. Read more

Cassava SMEs agro processing technical brief

Cassava is one of the most important food crops in Africa. Cassava has gained popularity among the smallholder farmers due to its ease of incorporation in mixed cropping and food systems. However, fresh cassava roots cannot be stored for long because they are bulky; the roots rot within 3-4 days of harvest and contain varying amounts of cyanide which is toxic to humans and animals. Read More 

Cassava Processing Innovations & Technologies

The Expanded Cassava Village Processing Project (E-CVPP) is a Farm Concern International (FCI) project in Kenya and Tanzania, funded by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, (AGRA). The project focuses on smallholder commercialization and market development of cassava and sweet potatoes. It is expected to facilitate production of up to 1.1million MT of cassava in three years by 75,000 farmers in Kenya  and Tanzania. Read More 

Enhancing national food security through cassava

Farm Concern International (FCI) successfully implemented a Cassava Village Processing Project (CVPP) in three years in Kenya and Tanzania. This project involved 54,000 farmers in 214 commercial villages and increased yields per acre to 9MT up from 5MT. The project also enabled village based seed multipliers to produce a total of 40,013,000 improved cassava cuttings. Read more 

E-CVPP Partnership Opportunities

The E-CVPP is a Farm Concern International - (FCI) project in Kenya and Tanzania, funded by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa-(AGRA), focusing on smallholder commercialization and market development for cassava and sweet potatoes with the aim of facilitating trade . Read More 

Promoting food security and economic empowerment

FCI has partnered with several actors to implement a three year, Expanded-Cassava Processing Project - (E-CVPP), in Kenya and Tanzania, with funding from the Alliance for Green Revolution-(AGRA). This is geared towards promoting food security and economic empowerment among the low income rural farmers. Read More 

Streamlining cassava value chain through E-CVPP to attract smallholder farmers

A study by Bennet et al. (2012), indicates that there is a significant potential for industrial usage of cassava in Kenya & Tanzania. Specifically, the study identifies potential in the following possibilities.  Read More 

Utilization of cassava as alternate animal feed

The animal feeds sector in Kenya relies on maize as its primary source of energy in feeds manufacturing for all livestock, putting it into direct conflict with the human consumption. Over time, maize supply has become an unreliable supply due to high cost, changing climate and disease outbreak especially in the North Rift, Kenya’s grain basket. Read more 

Enhancing animal feeds through cassava and sweet potato

A study in Kenya by Sanda and Methu (1992) revealed that complete replacement of maize with cassava flour and nitrogen supplementation of the cassava diets with urea gave similar milk yield and butter fats on cassava or maize-based concentrates. Animal feed industry in Kenya incorporates maize at 70%; but maize production is below the market demand (Makhoha, 2006).  Read More 

Untapped cassava business opportunities

Research reveals that there is unexploited cassava business opportunities both in Kenya and Tanzania for industrial use especially in the animal feed sector and starch production.  According to FAO, cassava production in Tanzania is estimated at 5,270,270MT per annum against an estimated annual demand by industrial consumers of about 600,000MT dried chips.  Read More 

Utilization of cassava as alternate animal feed

Over time, maize supply has become an unreliable supply due to high cost, changing climate and disease outbreak especially in the North Rift, Kenya’s grain basket. In the current harvesting season, the country is experiencing a shortfall of maize by 33.4%, with an expected production of 28.9 million bags, compared to a demand of 43.4 million bags (Tegemeo Institute- Business Daily News 27th October edition). All these factors are increasing the cost of maize, resulting in very high prices of animal feeds.  Read More 

Meeting the growing demand of Cassava and Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are among the world’s most versatile and under-exploited food crops. They are cultivated in over 100 developing countries mainly by smallholder households and currently rank as the fifth most important food crop on a fresh-weight basis in most of these countries after rice, wheat, maize and cassava  Read more 

Opportunities for Business Support Service Providers

A study in Kenya by Sanda and Methu (1992) revealed that complete replacement of maize with cassava flour and nitrogen supplementation of the cassava diets with urea gave similar milk yield and butter fats on cassava or maize-based concentrates. Animal feed industry in Kenya incorporates maize at 70%; but maize production is below the market demand (Makhoha, 2006).  Read More