IsDB, UNDP and Partners Transforming Africa’s Cassava Value Chain

July 3, 2024

With a focus on sharing developing countries’ experiences and best practices on cassava value chain development, exploring advanced technologies to increase cassava production and processing, and identifying investment opportunities within the cassava sub-sector, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted a capacity building workshop in Kampala, Uganda to enhance implementation of the Regional Cassava Value Chain Initiative for Africa. 

The workshop, held from 25-27 June 2024, was organized in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and the Government of Uganda among other stakeholders in the cassava value chain, comprising participants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo and Uganda.

Opening the workshop, IsDB Country Operations Manager Mr. Mouchili Mayoua emphasized that recent global crises have led to Africa experiencing a shortage of commodities, highlighting the need for African countries to become self-sufficient and reduce reliance on food and grain imports. “The objective of the Regional Cassava Value Chain program is to contribute to food security, enhance industrialization and economic growth,” said Mayoua. “It is also to improve household incomes through improved production and support private sector participation in the Cassava value chain.”

UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Nwanne Vwede-Obahor further highlighted the great potential of cassava to contribute to economic growth and development, given the crop is highly adaptable to changes in climate conditions when compared with other major crops. “Cassava holds immense potential not only as a source of food but also as a key ingredient in economic growth and sustainability,” said Vwede-Obahor. “This workshop presents a unique opportunity for all of us to share insights and discuss strategies to unlock the full potential of the cassava value chain.”

Hon. Aggrey Henry Bagiire, Ugandan Member of Parliament and former State Minister for Agriculture, also emphasized the importance of strengthening regional cassava value chains and highlighted efforts undertaken by Uganda to date. “Uganda once had a challenge relating to the distribution of agricultural produce,” said Hon. Bagiire. “Some districts of Uganda produced a lot of food, while other districts did not, and infrastructure was not in place to distribute across the country. We now have a vast road network to aid the distribution of agricultural produce, something that we can now build on to further enhance this strategic value chain.”

UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Nwanne Vwede-Obahor alongside delegates of the capacity building workshop

The objectives of the capacity building workshop, facilitated through the Regional Cassava Value Chain Initiative for Africa, include:

  1. Support cassava technology exchange practices among stakeholders including post-harvest loss reduction, processing, nutrition, financing, and trade.
  2. Provide an opportunity for concerned partners to exchange insights and visions on solutions and pathways to support cassava value chain development in different areas.
  3. Discuss solutions for optimizing the role of technology partners within the context of the Technology Deployment Cooperation Program (TDCP).
  4. Validate the findings of the current study of the cassava value chain assessment and the existing national or regional standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment regimes for cassava and cassava products.

During the three-day capacity-building workshop, various local and international organisations showcased their work in the cassava sector and how they could support countries under the cassava value chain program. Participating countries highlighted opportunities and challenges relating to the cassava sector in their respective countries.

Benin has succeeded in organizing farmers and seed companies into a network, assisting these farmers and companies to yield quality produce in sufficient quantity. To further improve cassava production, efforts must continue to be made in enhancing the availability of planting materials.

Cameroon has identified cassava as playing an important role in efforts to substitute imports, being one of the most consumed foods in the country. The country faces challenges in terms of processing and also financing for the cassava sector, and is still working on important substitution programs to lessen the dependence on wheat, through enhancing production of local produce across six regions of Cameroon.

For Cote d’Ivoire, cassava is a staple food and processing is an activity mostly occupied by women. The country is reorganizing the sector, with challenges relating to the availability of quality cassava variants, a lack of skilled labor and limited access to financing for this sector. Cote d’Ivoire aims to increase cassava production to meet the needs of the cassava sector while promoting different products for value addition.

Cassava is produced in all agro-ecological zones in Guinea. Through the Regional Cassava Value Chain Initiative for Africa project, Guinea plans to tackle the challenges of building capacity to introduce new varieties of cassava and improving processing capacity to help improve subsistence. 

Cassava holds great potential in creating jobs and enhancing food security across the continent

Cassava is the second most important food crop in Mozambique, with a high demand for consumption. The country is working to strengthen local seed production, strengthen capacity to improve quality and quantity of processing, facilitate the expansion of cassava industrialization, and improve value addition.

In Niger, cassava production is increasing and becoming increasingly important to the country. Still, Niger is facing a number of challenges that are limiting optimal production capacity including cassava varieties not being adapted to local conditions, limited infrastructure for storage, transportation and processing, and limited access to suitable agricultural technologies. 

Sierra Leone has released 14 cassava varieties, with 3 being widely adopted across the country. The country has launched a breeding system and is in the process of developing a seed system to support cassava farmers to enhance production. The goal for Sierra Leone is to reduce importation of wheat and substitute this with cassava to create jobs especially for youth and women.

In Togo, cassava production and yields have been weak compared to the potential offered by the crop. The country has limited processing capacity, with additional financing needed to enhance processing and value addition, as well as improving quality of produce for export.

In Uganda, cassava is one of the priority crops identified to spur commercial farming and drive agro-industrialization. Growing trends in cassava production over the years have been attributed to government support provided to farmers through various programmes and projects. In addition, cassava is one of the four agricultural commodities prioritized by the National Development Plan III for its significance to food security and nutrition.

The main challenges for the cassava sector include farm-level production, seed development, post-harvest and value addition (e.g. processing) and marketing cassava and cassava by-products. Priority activities include enhancing skills, technology and capacity, as well as increasing the availability of resources for smallholder farmers.

This capacity building workshop is the second in a series of workshops on the Regional Cassava Value Chain Initiative for Africa, with the first workshop being held on 12-14 December 2023 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire and attended by 90 participants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and the United States of America.