1. Expanding cassava production and
accelerating commercialization
Utökad produktion av kassava och snabbare
kommersialisering – från förädling till
produktutveckling
Synthesis
Magnus Jirström
CATISA

2. Linley Chiwona Karltun

3. Synthesis - Cassava project
1. Importance of cassava in Africa
2. West African cassava transformation
3. Southern African transformation
4. Recent research led by SLU as part of
the Swedish Government’s support to
research on food security
5. Future prospects

4. 1. Importance of Cassava in Africa
• Food security
• Africa’s #2 food staple, 200 million consumers
• low-cost starch
• drought tolerant
• flexibility seasonally and across years
• Economic growth
• Processing and trade
• Livestock feed
• Industrial starches

5. Cassava
about the
Top
And Bottom
view

6. Leaves: 25%
protein
Roots: 90%
carbohydrate

7. Africa’s cassava belt

8. Cassava production (t/ha)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Asia Latin America Africa
Improved varieties need to move to farmers’ fields

9. Breeding is Key - Development and Diffusion
of the TMS Varieties in Nigeria
• Breeding research:
1930’s – 1970’s
• TMS varieties, which
were released to
farmers in 1977
• high-yielding TMS
varieties boost
cassava yield by 40%

10. Industrial Applications Many..
1. Cassava Flour – Bakery and Confectionery
2. Cassava Chips/pellets & leaves – Livestock feeds
3. Sweeteners – Food industry
4. Starch – paper, wood, oil, and textile industry
5. Ethanol – distilleries, pharmaceuticals
Food and Beverage
Starch
Ethanol
Animal Feed
Paper
Textile
CASSAVA Deg. PlasticsWood

11. 11
Long lags for R&D and technology
adoption are typical in agriculture

12. Trends in Zambian Cassava Production
Source: CSO Post Harvest Surveys. The figure for 1990's average data from 1990/91 to 1993/94. The figures for
the early 2000’s average data from 2000/01 to 2004/05.
early 1990's early 2000's difference
Cassava production
a. households growing cassava (%)
Dual-staple zone 84% 92% 7%
Mixed-staple zones 43% 55% 13%
Maize belt 2% 5% 3%
All Zambia 36% 42% 6%
b. quantity harvested (kg/hh)
Dual-staple zone 803 1,434 631
Mixed-staple zones 334 603 269
Maize belt 243 340 97
All Zambia 575 1,142 567
Cassava commercialization
a. percent of cassava-growing households who sell some production
Dual-staple zone 11% 25% 14%
Mixed-staple zones 10% 19% 10%
Maize belt 25% 21% -3%
All Zambia 11% 23% 12%
b. quantity sold (kg/hh)
Dual-staple zone 40 131 91
Mixed-staple zones 31 65 34
Maize belt 98 80 -18
All Zambia 38 109 70

13. Improved cassava varieties double and
triple yields
Variety Released Yield
(tons/ha)
Taste
1. Bangweulu 1993 31 Bitter
2. Kapumba 1993 22 Sweet
3. Nalumino 1993 29 Sweet/cool
4. Mweru 2000 41 Sweet
5. Chila 2000 35 Bitter
6. Tanganyika 2000 36 Sweet
7. Kampolombo 2000 39 Sweet
Traditional 1600 7 Bitter

14. Food staple zones in the three-country region
Malawi – Mozambique - Zambia
Source: Haggblade & Nielson 2007, p. 13. Country labels added.
Mozambique

15. Cassava is drought-resistant
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
production('000tons)
maize
cassava

16. Cassava is drought-resistant
• So cassava production is stable from one year to the
next.
• Maize production, in contrast, varies wildly from one
year to the next, along with fluctuations in rainfall.
• If global warming and regional climate change indeed
leads to more frequent droughts in the region, then
cassava’s importance in moderating food shortfalls
will increase.

17. Deficit zone
Food security enhancing hot spot
Staple food trade flow

18. Towards
effective production, product diversification, quality assurance
1 – Basic survey to disclose the following
a – what is grown?
b – what is generally known about the grown landraces/cultivars?
c – which are used for which products?
d – how are the products produced (description of processing)?
e – what are the general characteristics of each product?
f – what is known (can be shown through analysis) about product food safety?
g - what is the situation concerning commercial production and marketing?

19. Nyirenda, D.B., Chiwona-Karltun, L., Chitundu, M.,
Haggblade, S. and Brimer, L. (2011). Chemical food safety of
cassava products in regions adopting cassava production
and processing – experience from Southern Africa. Food
and Chemical Toxicology 49, 607-612
Haggblade, S., Andersson Djurfeldt, A., Banda Nyrendah, D.,
Bergman-Lodin, J., Brimer, L., Chitundu, M., Chiwona-
Karltun, L., Cuambe, C., Dolislager, M., Donovan, C.,
Droppelmann, K., Jirström, M., Mudema, J., Kambwea, E.,
Kambewa, P., Nielson, H., Nyembe, M., Salegua, V.A., Tomo,
A. and Weber, M. (2012). Cassava Commercialization in
Southeastern Africa. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing
and Emerging Economies. 2(1), 4-40.
On the basis of the information gathered a
new more detailed survey of cassava cultivars
was performed
First study period of CATISA and its results

20. Product specification; area of origin CNp (mg HCN equiv./kg d.w.
Traditionally soaked cassava chips (Zambia) Western region 120
Fermented flour (Malawi) 200
Depwere flour (Malawi) 140
Unspecified flour (Malawi)
As recent as 2007 it was not so difficult to find problematic samples in Zambia and Malawi:
The classical problem when speaking cassava is the occurrence of cyanogenic glycosides
Natural plant toxins
And these are toxic levels!
63

21. The purpose of a second survey was:
• To investigate the dynamics (changes) in landraces/cultivars used
• To disclose the reasoning for keeping cultivars or to skip them, respectively
• To disclose changes in products and product processing if any
• To thereby get a solid background for further product and processing development

22. INFORMATION OBTAINED ON THE CASSAVA VARIETIES
1. Information on the source and description of the cassava varieties
CASSAVA
VARIETIES
PART A: INFORMATION ON THE SOURCE PART B: INFORMATION ON THE DESCRIPTION
Source Local/Hybrid Institution which
introduced the
variety
Characteristics of
the leaves and
stalks/stems
Characteristics
of the tubers
outer covers
Resistance to
disease and
drought tolerance
Kampolombo
MST
Varieties –
Kasama
Roots and
Tubers Res
Center
Hybrid and
sweet variety
FODIS Large brown
leaves
Large light
brown tubers
Become less disease
resistant after
growing for a longer
period (4Years). Less
drought tolerant
Bangweulu Same as
above
Hybrid and
bitter variety
FODIS Purplish leaves Brown tubers Less disease
resistant and less
drought tolerant
Chila
Same as
above
Hybrid and a
slightly bitter
variety
FODIS Green leaves Light brown
tubers
Disease tolerant but
attacked by ants, a
bit drought tolerant
Mweru Same as
above
Hybrid and
sweet variety
FODIS Brown stem Medium
brownish tubers
Disease tolerant and
not drought tolerant
Mweulu Tanzania Local and
sweet variety
Chinsali District Green thin leaves,
reddish stalks
Brown outer
cover but
reddish tubers
Disease resistant
and drought tolerant
Tanganyika Tanzania Local and
sweet variety
Chinsali District Light green leaves,
whitish stalks
Whitish tubers Disease resistant
and drought tolerant
Nalumino
MST
Varieties –
Kasama
Roots and
Hybrid FODIS Light brownish
leaves, brown
stalks
Large brown
tubers
Disease resistant
and attacked by ants
during drought.

23. 1. Information on the preference and use of the cassava varieties
CASSAVA
VARIETY
PART C: INFORMATION ON THE PREFERENCE AND USE
PREFERENCE USE
Liking of the
variety
Reason(s) for liking the variety How the variety is used
Kampolombo Yes
The leaves are nice for relish), the
tubers can be cooked fresh because
they are sweet and milled dried
tuber make a nice cassava mealie
meal for Nshima.
The fresh tuber can be eaten raw, cooked or
roasted. The fresh leaves can be pound and
cooked as relish. The dried tubers can be
stored up to six months and milled into
cassava mealie-meal and flour.
Bangweulu
Yes
The tubers are bigger and more
starchy but bitter
The dried tubers can be milled into cassava
mealie-meal and flour. The tubers cannot be
eaten raw but can be roasted after soaking.
Chila
Yes High yield but is bitter
The dried tubers can be milled into mealie-
meal and flour. The tubers cannot be eaten
raw but can be cooked or roasted after
soaking. The fresh leaves can be pound and
cooked as relish.
Mweru Yes Tubers are starchy and high yielding
and sweet
The fresh tuber can be eaten raw, cooked or
roasted. The fresh leaves can be pound
and cooked as relish. The dried tubers can
be milled into mealie-meal and flour.
Mweulu- local Yes Gives high yields and it’s not bitter
The fresh tuber can be eaten raw, cooked or
roasted. The fresh leaves can be pound
and cooked as relish. The dried tubers can
be milled into mealie-meal and flour.
Tanganyika Yes Tubers can be cooked fresh, are
sweet
Can be eaten raw, cooked or roasted. Milled
into mealie meal and flour.
Nalumino Yes The tubers grow bigger (After 2
years) and give a high yield and are
The fresh tuber can be eaten raw, cooked or
roasted. The fresh leaves can be pound and
cooked as relish. The dried tubers can be

24. CASSAVA VARIETY PART C: INFORMATION ON THE PROCESSING METHODS AND STORAGE
PROCESSING METHODS STORAGE
Method(s) Used Reason(s) for using
this/these method(s)
Storage of flour and dried
cassava products
Shelf life of flour and
dried cassava products
Kampolombo Chipping, Grating or
Soaking
Soaking method; people
just like it.
Dried cassava products are
stored in sacks, store for
longer. The flour is stored in
plastic packages – store for
shorter period.
Dried products can stay for
a longer time without being
attacked by weevils while
flour can be stored for 6-10
months.
Bangweulu
Soaking. To increase the
yield, Bangweulu after
soaking, can be mixed with
pounded chips of any sweet
variety prior to drying.
To remove cyanides and
give fermented flavour
Chila Soaking method; for mealie
meal. Chipping; for flour.
Mweru Chipping, Grating or
Soaking
Soaking for fermented taste
Mweulu
Chipping, Soaking Nshima prepared chipped
mealie meal is thick just like
maize. Nshima form soaked
cassava is slippery and
hold the stomach for a
longer time.
Tanganyika Chipping. However, the
chips can soaked for a day(
If they taste bitter) prior to
drying
Nshima prepared from this
cassava mealie-meal tastes
like maize meal.
Nalumino Chipping, Soaking For fermented taste
Manyokola
•Information on the processing methods and storage of the varieties

25. To choose cultivars for
optimal product development
physiochemical properties must be known
So the following investiations has been undertaken:
• Proximate analysis (crude protein etc)
• Minerals
• Total cyanogens (toxins)
• Viscoelastic
Of different cultivars

26. And since cassava roots and
their products do not show
any significant levels of the
mycotoxins aflatoxins
– in contrast to maize -

27. Constraints for Commercialisation

28. Women at Lower-end of Value Chain
Hand Peeling

30. Deep yellow Yellow Cream White
Useful nutritional – cooking characteristics
ß-carotene in cassava tuberous roots

31. Future Prospects
• continued and increased plant breeding needed to meet
higher demands for harvest yield, product diversification and
new cultivation situations (environment, pathogens, nutrients
etc.)
• for effective plant breeding interactions between breeders,
farmers, food processing entrepreneurs as well as non-food
market actors are essential (e.g. feed and industrial uses
• Marketing and processing constraints emerge following
production surges
• Future efforts need to include focus more on
production, processing, and marketing

32. DADTCO and SAB Breweries invest in
Cassava as a raw material in Mozambique
2012

33. Support & Policies for Cassava are Key