1. Regional Cassava Processing and Marketing InitiativeFIRST REGIONAL MEETING OF IFAD ROOTS & TUBERS PROJECTS14-16 November 2007Hotel Somatel - Douala, Cameroon

2. 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)

3. 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

4. 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).

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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).

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. MERCI, THANK YOU