Unlock Nigeria’s cassava potential through our expert Cassava Education and Training Programs. Gain practical skills to boost yields, enhance processing, and build profitable agribusinesses.
As the world’s largest producer of cassava, Nigeria has immense potential to transform this root crop into a driver of economic development through improved practices across the value chain.
However, realizing this potential requires knowledge and skills, which many smallholder farmers lack; we, the Cassava Pathway, have work to do.
Our Cassava Education and Training Programmes equip farmers, processors, youth, women, extension agents, and agribusiness entrepreneurs with practical, up-to-date expertise in cassava production, processing, mechanization, and market linkages.
These programmes blend research-backed techniques with hands-on learning to boost yields, reduce post-harvest losses, enhance product quality, and increase incomes.
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Why Cassava Training Matters in Nigeria
Nigeria produces over 60 million tonnes of cassava annually, yet average yields on smallholder farms often fall below potential due to challenges like cassava glut, pests, diseases (such as cassava mosaic disease), poor soil management, outdated processing methods, and limited access to quality planting materials.
iita.org Training addresses these gaps by promoting Good Agronomic Practices (GAP), improved varieties, efficient processing technologies, and business skills.
Participants learn to select high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties, optimize planting density, manage weeds and pests sustainably, and add value through products like garri, fufu, high-quality cassava flour (HQCF), chips, and even ethanol or animal feed.
Well-trained farmers and processors report higher yields, better product quality, reduced labour costs, and improved market access.
Training also empowers women and youth, key players in cassava processing, to turn subsistence activities into profitable enterprises.
Top Institutions Driving Cassava Capacity Building
Several leading institutions spearhead cassava education and training in Nigeria:
National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike
As the national mandate holder for root and tuber crops, NRCRI Umudike develops improved cassava varieties and conducts regular training for farmers and processors.
The institute has trained thousands in production, mechanization, and value addition, often in collaboration with partners.
NRCRI’s programmes emphasize stem multiplication, demonstration plots, and extension services. nrcri.gov.ng
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan
IITA’s cassava breeding programme and training modules focus on competitive production, seed systems, and integrated pest management.
Their comprehensive training guides cover everything from soil fertility restoration to profitable cassava enterprises and have benefited farmers, extension workers, and researchers across Africa. iita.org
African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and Partners
AATF runs targeted Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) training for cassava farmers and processors, especially in southwest Nigeria.
Initiatives aim to train thousands of farmers and processors by 2026, focusing on yield improvement and quality processing. guardian.ng
Other players include state agricultural development programmes (ADPs), NGOs, private enterprises like CAPFIS, and donor-supported projects that offer workshops on weed management, safe herbicide use, and high-quality garri/fufu production.
Our Cassava Education and Training Programmes
Cassava Pathway offers a range of flexible programmes tailored to different needs and experience levels:
Farmer and Processor Workshops
Hands-on sessions cover modern cassava cultivation, stem multiplication, weed and pest management, and post-harvest handling.
Participants learn to produce high-quality garri, fufu, and pellets while exploring packaging and marketing strategies.
These short courses often include field demonstrations and group discussions for peer learning.
Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) Training
This flagship programme teaches sustainable farming techniques, including variety selection, planting methods, fertilizer application, and soil conservation.
Special modules address climate resilience and mechanization to reduce drudgery, especially for women processors.
Value Addition and Business Development
Designed for processors and entrepreneurs, these programmes focus on industrial uses of cassava, such as HQCF for bakeries and confectioneries, starch production, and waste utilization (e.g., peels for animal feed or ethanol).
Business modules cover record-keeping, group formation, access to credit, and market linkages.
Youth and Women Empowerment Initiatives
Targeted programmes empower young people and women with start-up skills for commercial cassava farming or small-scale processing plants.
Topics include profitability analysis, equipment operation, and cooperative management to foster inclusive growth.
Trainer-of-Trainers (ToT) and Extension Courses
We build the capacity of extension agents, lead farmers, and community facilitators so they can cascade knowledge to wider audiences.
This multiplier effect ensures a broader impact across cassava-growing regions.
All programmes combine classroom sessions, practical field work, and follow-up support.
Benefits of Participating in Our Programmes
- Increased Productivity: Trained farmers achieve significantly higher yields through improved varieties and practices.
- Higher Incomes: Better processing techniques and product quality open access to premium markets and industrial buyers.
- Reduced Losses: Knowledge of proper harvesting, storage, and processing minimizes post-harvest waste.
- Sustainability: Training promotes environmentally friendly methods, including soil fertility management and reduced chemical use.
- Empowerment: Women and youth gain confidence, skills, and economic independence.
- Networking: Participants connect with researchers, input suppliers, and buyers for long-term support.
Studies and participant feedback consistently show positive impacts on income, product quality, and adoption of new technologies.
How to Get Involved
Our programmes are open to individual farmers, farmer groups, cooperatives, processors, agribusinesses, and students.
We conduct trainings at our facilities, on-farm demonstration sites, and in partnership with communities across cassava-producing states.
Upcoming sessions are announced on our website.
We also offer customized in-house training for organizations and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Whether you are a beginner looking to start cassava farming or an experienced processor seeking to scale up, our programmes provide the knowledge and practical skills you need to succeed.