This document summarizes a presentation on a study of the cassava value chain in two districts in Tanzania. The study aimed to map the cassava value chain and determine profit margins for actors. It found five marketing channels for cassava, with the most profitable being those with fewer players and value addition. Local processors had the highest margins. The study concluded constraints include low production, poor access to inputs and markets. It recommended strengthening farmer groups, improving varieties and equipment, and enhancing value addition.

1. “District Markets-Linked Cassava Value
Chain in Mvomero and Kongwa Districts,
Tanzania.”
Presented at the International Food Security
Dialogue 2014
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional
Security in a Changing World.”
Sponsored By: Hosted By:
M. D. Waziri, J. R. Makindara and D. Shayo
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2. Presentation Outline
• Background Information
• Problem Statement and justification
• Objectives of the study
• Methodology
• Findings
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
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3. Background Information
• Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crants) is one of the
most important crops widely grown in East and
Central Africa including Tanzania.
• Cassava crop has several advantages over other
staples particularly cereals due to its drought
tolerance, low demands on soil nutrients, low
input requirements and flexibility in planting and
harvesting (Marandu et al., 2007)
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4. Background info cont…
• Global cassava production in 2009 was about
241 million tons with Africa being the highest
producer (Bull et al., 2011).
• Tanzania is the sixth largest producer of
cassava after Nigeria, DRC, Ghana, Angola and
Mozambique, producing about 7 million tons
of fresh cassava annually (FAOSTAT, 2007).
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5. Background info cont…
• Regions producing cassava in Tanzania are
Mtwara, Coast, Mwanza, Kigoma, Tanga,
Morogoro, Ruvuma, Shinyanga and Lindi.
• Area under cassava production in Tanzania is
about 655 700 ha. (Lazaro et al., 2007).
• Cassava is very important in semi arid and
drought prone areas, and is considered as a food
security crop rather than raw materials for
industries.
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6. Problem Statement and Justification
• Despite the fact that cassava presents
commercial opportunity under small scale
farming in Tanzania for improvement of their
livelihoods, cassava products are yet in the
markets.
• Besides, unreliable markets with little
transformation, are additional factors limiting
commercialization of cassava from smallholder
farmers’ perspective.
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7. Problem Statement cont…
• Furthermore, cassava marketing systems in
Tanzania and in the study districts of
Mvomero and Kongwa in particular, are still
traditional, with scanty market information
and little has been done to develop or
transform them.
• Therefore, this study sought to fill this gap
using value chain approach.
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8. Objectives of the Study
• The overall objective of this study was to
analyze cassava value chain in order to
identify potential areas for intervention and
ultimately improving smallholder cassava
farmers’ access to markets.
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9. Objectives cont…
• Specific objectives were:
–to map cassava value chain in the study
area;
–to determine profit margins accrued by the
players and
–to assess factors influencing cassava
producing farmers’ profitability.
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10. Methodology
• The study areas were Kunke and Wami-Luhindo
villages in Mvomero district and Ihanda and
Masinyeti villages in Kongwa district.
• The area was chosen because two new varieties
of cassava (Kiroba and Mumba) were introduced
in the villages through Crop and Goat Project
(CGP) implemented jointly by SUA, UA, ILRI and
KSRI under IDRC Funding.
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11. Methodology cont…
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12. Methodology cont…
• The research design was cross sectional with
sampling units being producers (farmers),
traders, processors and consumers.
• Sampling procedure used was purposive in
selecting the villages and simple random in
selecting the respondents.
• Total sample size was 145 whereby 63 were
producers, 25 traders, 21 processors and 36
consumers.
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13. Methodology cont…
• Data collection methods include observations,
interviews and FGD.
• Data collection instruments were questionnaire,
check list and FGD guide.
• Data were analyzed using SPSS for questionnaire
data and Excel for FGD and KI information.
• Data analysis were sub-sector mapping,
descriptive statistics, GM and Linear Regression
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14. Findings
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15. Findings cont…
• Cassava value chain is comprised of multiple
products with actors being input suppliers, small
scale farmers, transporters, village/local
processors, retailers of fresh cassava and
vendors.
• Critical pre-produce points are land issues and
cassava cuttings availability,
• Business support services are input supply,
market security, financial and extension services.
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16. Findings cont…
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17. Findings cont…
• Marketing channels identified are five:
• Channel I: Producers to consumers;
• Channel II: Producers to retailers-consumers;
• Channel III: Producers to cooking vendors to
consumers;
• Channel IV: Producers to local processors to
consumers;
• Channel V: Producers to retailers to local
processors to consumers.
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18. Findings cont…
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19. Findings cont…
• The most profitable marketing channels are II
and V. This might have been contributed by
having fewer players and especially exclusion
of retailers and value addition processes
• Selling prices in channels II and V are higher
than in other channels, and
• Sales volumes in channels II and V are higher.
• Weeding costs are higher in all the channels.
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20. Findings cont…
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21. Findings cont…
• In Gross margins analysis, findings show that
local processors are getting higher margins as
compared to other actors as shown in
channels IV and V.
• Cooking vendors are obtaining lower margins
than other actors followed by retailers as
shown in channels III and II.
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22. Findings cont…
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23. Findings cont…
• Findings show that experience of household
head and farm size are positively related to
profitability and are statistically significant
• On the other hand, farm locations is
negatively related but statistically significant.
This implies that cassava plots near to the
markets have higher chances of getting higher
margins than those which are far.
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24. Conclusion
• Cassava value chain in Kongwa and Mvomero
districts revealed several constraints from low
production, poor access to inputs, inadequate
market information, poor support services,
poor coordination to lack of value addition.
• Farmers are not organized, lack bargaining
powers and their scale of operation is low.
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25. Conclusion cont…
• Local processors are the ones who are
benefiting more in the chain as compared to
other players.
• Cassava profitability is enhanced by area
under production and experience of the
household.
• Farm location has been found to reduce
farmers’ profitability.
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26. Recommendations
• It is recommended that improved cassava
varieties and modern farm equipment should
be availed to farmers,
• Organization and coordination of cassava
chain actors requires strengthening, and
• Enhancement of value addition processes
through technologies will increase profitability
to the players involved in cassava value chain.
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27. Acknowledgements
• This is the end of presentation and we would
like to acknowledge the following:
– IDRC/DFATD for sponsoring the event,
– University of Alberta for hosting,
– IDRC/CIRDI for funding the study and
– Sokoine University of Agriculture and University of
Alberta for coordinating the study.
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