Cassava value chain/Nigeria- Optimizing inclusiveness of cassava smallholder farmers in the chain
17 March 2015
Africa produce 62 percent of the total world cassava production with Nigeria leading the world with nineteen percent of global market share.
Africa produce 62 percent of the total world cassava production with Nigeria leading the world with nineteen percent of global market share. In sub-Saharan Africa, cassava is cultivated on small farms often in fields to be set aside as fallow and often cropped on marginal soils, replacing crops that require greater soil fertility and cultivation. In order to maximize smallholder farmers participation and optimize in the cassava value chain, the Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc has entered into partnership with Psaltry International Company Ltd, a Nigerian cassava processing company and the International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC). The partnership aims at improving the agribusiness through building capacity of Nigerian smallholder farmers (e.g. training, easier access to finance). According to the cassava processing company, the partnership will enhance small farmers productivity and increase supply of high-quality cassava roots. The cassava processing company assured to provide industrial quality cassava starch for Nigerian breweries to extract maltose syrup for use in the brewing process. On the other hand, the Nigerian brewery announced to support local economic development and promote inclusive growth by sourcing agricultural raw materials locally. Purchasing locally will transform the output level and quality of cassava produced by smallholder farmers in order to meet brewery standards. The brewery will offer an assure market to small cassava farmers with considerable price while the fertilizer will be supplied by IFDC. Due to the range to competent actors in the chain, this will motivate chain sustainability and promote inclusive of small cassava farmers.
http://www.merid.org/~/media/Files/Projects/Value%20Chains%20Microsite/Cassava_Value_Chain_Overview_090527FINAL.ashx
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/business/199322-nb-plc-partners-psaltry-to-optimize-cassava-productivity
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502180987.html