Nakuru: Over 4000 farmers from Nakuru County have benefited from a training programme on proper agronomical practices to boost production of the cassava crop, in a move aimed at promoting cassava as a climate-resilient crop for food security and commercialisation through value addition.
According to Kenya News Agency, the farmers, who were trained courtesy of the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) programme, will also access clean and disease-resistant planting materials which are early-maturing varieties. These farmers will benefit from improved extension services for cassava, intended to be largely consumed as subsistence food in Eastern Africa’s rural households.
The project’s Lead Investigator, Prof. Richard Mulwa, explained that this 10-year initiative, part of TAGDev’s Agri-food System and Entrepreneurship Consortium (ASEC), was launched in 2023. The programme is being implemented by Egerton University in partnership with the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and the Mastercard Foundation.
Professor Mulwa noted that Kenya’s current cassava production stands at about one million tonnes annually, which is insufficient to meet the three million tonnes needed to satisfy growing demand. Despite cassava’s adaptability to marginal soils and drought conditions, its role in Kenya’s national food basket remains underdeveloped. However, the project is committed to promoting cassava as a climate-resilient crop for food security and commercialisation via value addition.
The initiative has documented 23 different cassava varieties suitable for Nakuru County, supporting the development of an extension manual and emphasizing capacity building for processors on food safety and quality. This ensures better market access and aims to transform Kenyans’ attitudes towards treating cassava as a high-value enterprise rather than just a subsistence food.
Professor Mulwa further highlighted that students, women and youth groups, and farming groups are being trained in the value chain, production, processing, and marketing of cassava-based products, as well as its breeding. The project has established cassava demonstration plots to promote improved farming practices and is providing incubation for youth-led startups focusing on cassava commercialisation.
The project seeks to create jobs, increase food and nutrition security, and improve cassava quality, productivity, and marketability both locally and abroad. It is envisioned that this initiative will eventually spur the growth of cottage industries in areas where cassava is cultivated across the country.
Cassava’s potential as a raw material extends to various value-added products, from coarse flour to high-tech starch gels. Its modified starch can be used in the manufacture of alcohol, animal feeds, and baked products. Additionally, cassava serves as a crucial base in manufacturing plywood, paper, and textiles.
Despite cassava’s resilience to climate shocks, production challenges persist, particularly from the destructive Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD). However, progress has been made, including the identification of a Tanzanian variety resistant to the disease. The project is working on transferring resistance genes to locally adapted breeds using molecular marker-assisted techniques.
Professor Mulwa also noted the high demand for cassava among beer makers due to its starch ingredient. The project, in collaboration with East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL), is exploring brewing high-quality beer from cassava. The project has developed 29 cassava varieties, with seven maturing within six months, and is working on an animal feed formula incorporating Acacia pods and the Mathenge weed with cassava as a base.
The University has established nine cassava variety sites in Njoro, Lower Subukia, and Solai. The project also explores using cassava to produce biodegradable packaging materials, an initiative already deployed in Indonesia.
Kenya has 200,000 hectares under cassava cultivation, primarily in Western regions and parts of the Coast. The programme aims to increase production for subsistence farmers from 2.5 to 7 metric tonnes per acre and for pre-commercial farmers from 5 to 10 metric tonnes per acre.
Professor Mulwa expressed optimism that cassava’s tolerance to various stresses positions it as a key player in addressing sustainable food and nutrition security, creating employment opportunities, and increasing incomes for smallholder farmers. Through value addition, farmers can produce various cassava products, strengthening resilience to climate change and boosting economic prospects.
