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Regional Cassava Processing and Marketing Initiative FIRST REGIONAL MEETING OF IFAD ROOTS & TUBERS PROJECTS 14-16 November 2007 Hotel Somatel - Douala, Cameroon. ROOT AND TUBER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME - GHANA. CASSAVA PROCESSING IN GHANA PRESENTED AT
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Regional Cassava Processing and Marketing InitiativeFIRST REGIONAL MEETING OF IFAD ROOTS & TUBERS PROJECTS14-16 November 2007Hotel Somatel - Douala, Cameroon
ROOT AND TUBER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME - GHANA CASSAVA PROCESSING IN GHANA PRESENTED AT FIRST ANNUAL IFAD-FUNDED R&T PROJECTS MEETING IN DOUALA FROM NOVEMBER 14 – 16, 2007 BY VINCENT CYRIL AKOTO (PPS)
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION • INTRODUCTION • MAIN ACTIVITIES IN PROCESSING • HOW ACTIVITIES WERE IMPLEMENTED • LESSONS LEARNT • MAIN SHORTCOMINGS ENCOUNTED DURING IMPLEMENTATION • MAIN CHALLENGES AND ACTIONS PLANNED TO TACKLE THEM • SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRIVATE SECTOR ACTORS
Scale of cassava processing in Ghana • Small-scale informal sector processors • Manually operated simple equipment • Producing mainly Agbelima, Gari, Kokonte, • Semi-industrial/industrial processors • Motorised machines (petrol, diesel or electric) • Using both cassava and processed products (cassava grit) to produce: gari, fufu, agbelima, high quality cassava flour (HQCF) and kokonte. • Equipment for cassava processing • Pealing knife, washing basins, grating machines, fermentation racks, bagging stand, presses, roasting pans, dryers (HQCF).
MAIN ACTIVITIES / RTIP RTIP Task: • Improving access of resource-poor farmers, farmer groups and rural communities, including women, to improved post-production technologies. How? Through: • Identification and sourcing of improved post-production technologies; • Training of manufacturing companies on new technologies; • Demonstration of new technologies to processing enterprises; • Manufacturing the new technologies for processing enterprises; • Training stakeholders on new processing technologies.
MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS - RTIP Training on the production and utilization of cassava flour : Trained 25 persons drawn from the MoA, KNUST, the Polytechnics, Bakers’ Associations, Caterers, and NGOs; Training in utilization of cassava flour in 67 districts: Trained a total of 2,600 cassava processors, pastry makers and bakers (97% women); Recipe trials and organoleptic assessment of 8 cassava recipes: Collated recipes from IITA, FAO and the Home Science Dept of the University of Ghana Conducted assessments at the CSIR-FRI on the suitability and acceptability of the recipes, so as to adapt or standardize them where necessary.
MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS - RTIP 60 improved gari roasting stoves constructed: for processing groups in 12 communities in 4 regions to serve as demonstration/test models for dissemination of technology; Groups sensitized on food safety, hygiene, and quality: 389 processing groups and 24 marketing groups (1,945 women and 402 men in total); Extension staff trained in the construction of the improved stoves 25 Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) in 3 Districts trained As a result, processing technology improved: Considerable research attention on cassava processing Upgraded traditional processing technology for: gari, agbelima & kokonte.
IMPACT OF ACTIVITIES / RTIP Awareness raised: Cassava not only a food crop, but also as a cash crop; Introduced the use of HQCF in the bakery industry; Made available a broader range of more productive R&T processing equipments that can now be manufactured and/or repaired locally; Disseminated scientific information/literature and generated, locally and elsewhere, technologies that can now be used to improve the processing and utilization of cassava roots. NOTE Little impact made on RTIMP activities.
MAIN ACTIVITIES / RTIMP • TWO MAIN ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PROCESSING • Transfer of relevant Root and Tuber processing technologies; • Setting up of 15 Good Practices Centres (GPCs) to serve as learning/ demonstration centres.
IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES RTIMP • Engagement of consultants to: • Conduct technology and equipment needs assessments for standardisation of processing equipment and identification of gaps in equipment needs; • Collate and identify gaps in product standardisation for all R & T products; • Create a data base on all processing enterprises in the country. • Collaboration with TSPs/Ips (e.g. GRATIS F.) to: • Select enterprises to be upgraded to GPCs (GRATIS is an organisation spearheading the production and promotion of processing technologies in Ghana).
ACHIEVEMENTS - RTIMP • Improved procurement procedures to engage Consultants; • 4 processing enterprises selected for upgrading (out of 17 visited); • Detailed structural and equipment assessments carried out on the four selected processing sites; • GRATIS given the green light to proceed with the upgrading of the 4 selected enterprises.
Main challenges waiting ahead and actions planned by RTIMP to tackle them • Flour demand far outstrips supply (this also despite the fact that training covered both the production and utilization of the flour). • Remedy: RTIMP to promote commodity linkage activities • Targeted beneficiary groups in most cases did not have the basic resources to meet their obligations in acquisition of technologies. • Remedy: RTIMP introduced Micro Enterprise Fund (MEF) • Gari roasting still poses a health risk to processors even though improved stoves which incorporated chimneys had been developed locally, thus substantially reducing smoke inhalation by processors. • Remedy: More research works to improve on the stoves
SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRIVATE SECTOR ACTORS • Role of TSPs and IPs: Provide technical support in technologies. • Support to be provided by RTIMP:Resources will be provided to TSPs and IPs to carry out their research works on new technologies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • Role of MANUFACTURERS:Manufacturing and replication of prototypes and repair & maintenance. • Support to be provide by RTIMP:RTIMP will source for and propose new technologies and train manufacturers in manufacturing them.
SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRIVATE SECTOR ACTORS • Role of the remaining ENTREPRENEURS: • Promotion of Technologies: Processing, packaging, labelling, marketing, etc; • Provision of learning centres. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • Support to be provide by RTIMP:Introduce good entrepreneurial practices during the implementation of RTIMP.