There are challenges facing the cassava value chain in cassava producing regions and here are ways to tackle them.
From cultivation to processing to distribution, various factors can impact the efficiency and profitability of the cassava value chain.
Table of Contents
- Challenges Facing the Cassava Value Chain and How to Tackle Them
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Word from Cassava Pathway
Challenges Facing the Cassava Value Chain and How to Tackle Them
1. Pest and Disease Control
One of the primary challenges facing cassava farming is the control of pests and diseases.
Cassava is susceptible to several diseases, including mosaic disease, cassava bacterial blight, and anthracnose disease, which can significantly reduce yields and quality.
Also, pests like cassava mealybugs and green spider mites can infest cassava plantations, causing damages that can lead to a 100% loss in yields.
Effective pest and disease management strategies are necessary to ensure the sustainability of cassava production.
2. Access to Quality Planting Materials
Another troubling setback in cassava farming is accessing high-quality planting materials like cassava cuttings.
Farmers often face difficulties in obtaining enough supplies of healthy cassava cuttings, which can cause differences in seed quality and increased risks of introducing diseases and pests to the plantation.
Improving the availability and quality of planting materials will help to improve crop performance and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
3. Weather Variability
Cassava is a resilient crop, the change in climate and weather conditions is becoming a threat.
Droughts during the rainy season and excessive rainfall during the dry season can disrupt cassava yields and quality.
Developing climate-resilient cassava varieties and having good irrigation systems in place can help ameliorate the effects of changing weather.
Related: Cassava Farming Best Practices
4. Market Access and Price
Market access and price is another challenge facing cassava farmers and the cassava value chain.
Small farmers often struggle to access and understand the market dynamics, and face price fluctuations due to not enough information about demands, prices, and what consumers really want.
They rely on middlemen who are out for themselves which can lead to unfair pricing and not enough profit margins.
This can be discouraging, causing a slack or laidback attitude on the side of farmers.
Improving market access and providing farmers with better information about market conditions can help them negotiate better prices and increase their income, thereby encouraging them to seek more opportunities in the cassava value chain.
5. Storage and Transportation of Harvest
Another challenge in the cassava value chain is the storage and transportation of harvested cassava roots.
Lack of access and inadequate warehousing and transportation facilities can force farmers to sell their harvest at low prices, causing dissatisfaction and discouragement, which in turn impacts both quality and quantity.
Developing stable electricity and improving transportation infrastructure can help farmers secure fair prices for their products.
6. Information Flow and Transparency
The flow of transparent information in the cassava value chain is often unclear and unstable, with communication mostly occurring from the demand side to the supply side to their advantage.
This arrangement puts the farmers who are on the most important side of the cassava value chain in a precarious situation, often having no say, only at the mercy of the marketers.
This lack of transparency can lead to poor understanding of cross-border trades and unfair pricing.
When farmers are in the information loop and know that they are the most important in the cassava value chain, they participate more in the information flow, know their place in the chain, and can negotiate better prices.
This gives them a sense of belonging, transparency, and encouragement to put more effort into cassava production.
Related: How Cassava Farming Affects the Environment
7. Technology and Infrastructure
Another of the challenges facing the cassava value chain is the lack of infrastructure and technology in many cassava-producing regions.
For instance, in my community, everything is done traditionally, from planting, harvesting, and processing until the final product gets to the market, there is no automation or technology whatsoever.
My community farm cassava for garri, fufu (akpu), cassava chips for puddings and that is it.
The starch, one of the foremost products in the cassava value chain, that should be harnessed during the garri or fufu production is wasted because they don’t know it’s useful.
Also, the lack of proper roads, storage facilities, and processing units can make it difficult for farmers to get their products to market in a timely and cost-effective manner.
This can result in post-harvest losses and lower incomes for farmers.
8. Sustainability Challenges
The cassava value chain faces sustainability challenges that include cassava pests and diseases, deforestation, soil degradation, and water pollution.
These pose threats to cassava production in many cassava-producing regions because most local smallholder farmers can’t do anything to help it.
This is where the government has a big role to play.
There are also social concerns related to labor practices and land tenure rights.
Addressing these challenges requires a multi-stakeholder approach involving farmers, governments, industry, and development organizations.
Investments in infrastructure, technology, and extension services can improve productivity and efficiency.
Initiatives to improve market access, financial inclusion, and sustainability practices can help ensure a more resilient and sustainable cassava value chain.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the major challenges in cassava production?
Pests and diseases, low yields, lack of improved varieties, poor soil fertility, and inadequate processing facilities are major challenges in cassava production.
2. How can cassava storage life be extended?
Proper harvesting techniques, waxing, and storage in cool, dry conditions can extend cassava storage life. Proper processing into flour or chips also helps.
3. What are the challenges in cassava processing?
Inadequate processing equipment, high energy costs, low-capacity utilization, and lack of skilled personnel are major challenges in cassava processing.
4. How can cassava marketing be improved?
Developing structured markets, improving market information systems, and promoting value addition can improve cassava marketing. Collective marketing by farmers can also help.
Final Word from Cassava Pathway
Certainly, there are challenges facing the cassava value chain. From pests and diseases to market access and sustainability, there are opportunities to address these issues through investments in technology, infrastructure, and extension services.
Improving transparency, market information, and sustainability practices can help create a more resilient and profitable cassava value chain that benefits farmers and consumers alike.
