A major development at the meeting was the formation of a CAVA-Ghana Cassava Processors Association as a nuclear group for the formation of a national association and the possible consequent formation of a ‘National Cassava Products Marketing Association Company’.

Dr. W. K. A. Amoa-Awua, Head of Food Microbiology Division  of CSIR-FRI welcomed the participants on behalf of Dr. Paa Nii Togbor Johnson, Ag. Director of the Institute.  He urged participants to address the problems of cassava waste management and environmental concerns as well as the high cost of processed cassava products.  He suggested that stakeholders could take advantage of new processing systems that address these challenges.  He expressed belief that the project objectives of the C:AVA could be achieved.

Non-Governmental Organizations NGO’s such as the Association of African Women in Development (AAWID), Social Development and Improvement Agency (SODIA), the Christian Rural Action Network (CRAN), Associates for Sustainable Rural Development (ASRuD), Christ Apostolic Agency for Relief and Development (CAARD) and Progressive Youth and Community Development (PROYCOD) reported on their activities.   Presentations were also heard by from the Managing Directors of cassava processing companies such as Caltech Ventures, Bredi Agricultural Enterprise, Cassacoxa Ltd., Majestic Agribusiness Center, Mabert Enterprise, God’s Way Enterprise, 1st Door Farms, Amasa Agro-Processing Co. and Afrimart Global Enterprises.

The meeting was also addressed by Dr. Nanam Dziedzoave, Country Manager of the CAVA-Ghana Project , Ghana, Dr. Kwame Vowotor of CSIR-Food Research Institute, Nana Safo Agyeman  Derkyi of  the CSIR- Forestry Research Institute of Ghana , Dr. Joe Manu-Aduening, a production consultant  as well as and representatives of the Volta and Brong Ahafo Regional Directorates of MOFA, non-governmental organizations agencies ( NGO’s) and cassava processing enterprises. Mr. Victor Antwi, the Business Development Advisor for the CAVA -Ghana Project, facilitated the deliberations.   Dr. Kola Adebayo, Project Manager Director  for Africa Region of the C: AVA Project, also addressed the meeting.

The C:AVA project is an initiative led by the University of Greenwich's Natural resources Institute (NRI) of the United Kingdom,  in close partnership with the  CSIR-Food Research Institute (Ghana, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, the  Africa Innovations Institute,  Uganda,  Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre  and Chancellor College , University of Malawi.  CSIR _FRI is leading the C:AVA initiative in Ghana to develop the cassava value chain by exploiting the use of value added cassava products such as High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) for the benefit of small farmers, micro and small scale processors.   

HQCF has many applications including the industrial production and processing of glucose syrup that can save Ghana a lot of foreign exchange that is used annually for imports.  A lot of imported Glucose is currently used in the confectionery business in Ghana.  Potential markets  for HQCF include adhesives for paperboard products, extenders for plywood glues, starches for textiles,  sugar syrups for confectionery industries,  industrial alcohol,  and an alternative flour to wheat flour in bakery products.  Some recipes from High Quality Cassava Flour are bread, cakes, biscuits, sausage rolls, strips, ‘bofrot”, doughnuts, pancakes and  other snacks.

Within the one year period of its inception, the CAVA-Ghana Project Management Team and its implementation partners have mobilized over 4,000 cassava farmers, 1,000 microprocessors, 15 small, medium and large scale cassava processors and over 15  dedicated end-users of HQCF in the food and non-food sectors of the Ghanaian economy.  Through the collaborative and concerted efforts of all these cassava value chain actors more than 1,000 tons of fresh cassava have been supplied by farmers, processed into over 200 tons of HQCF and sold into various viable markets in Ghana.

Stakeholders unanimously agreed that good progress has been made  and the way forward for the project is to concentrate on: strengthening linkages between the current collaborating value chain actors, mobilizing more small-medium-large scale processors, developing new linkages to potential end-users and improving competitiveness in the business activities of farmers and processors (through yield improvements and reduction in drying costs), whilst strengthening in particular the cash flow situation of processors, who all stakeholders consider as key to effective delivery on the project’s vision of success.  

Submitted by Augustine Andoh, CSIR-FRI