Project 7: Expanding cassava production and accelerating commercialization in Southern Africa – from breeding to product development
Project leader: Linley Chiwona-Karltun
Sub-project 1: Identification of cassava varieties meeting farmer’s preferences
Principal investigator at SLU: Anna Westerbergh, Department of Plant Biology and Forest Genetics
Popular summary
The tropical crop cassava is mainly grown by small-scale farmers for its starchy tuberous roots. It is consumed daily by more than 500 million people and is the main carbohydrate source in many parts of Africa. Cassava is used as a food crop for local consumption but is increasingly perceived as a cash crop with the potential to improve living standards for rural communities in the tropics. To secure the role of cassava as a food crop and to ensure that cassava will be an important source of income for rural farmers the research and breeding have to emphasize improved root quality, higher harvest yield and resistance to pest and diseases. In addition, to reduce malnutrition emphasis has to be towards improving the content of proteins, minerals and beta-carotene. It is of major importance that these traits will be introduced into a large number of varieties that satisfy the diverse needs and preferences of the small-scale farmers and consumers.
The main goal of the project is to improve the livelihood of cassava farmers in rural communities in the tropics by developing successful participatory breeding and gene conservation programs meeting farmers’ preferences. This will be achieved by identifying desirable traits and genotypes through an interdisciplinary study combining farmer interviews with genetic marker analysis and morphological characterization of local and bred cassava varieties in farmers’ fields. The study is carried out in different villages in Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam to compare the variety composition and genetic diversity within and among farmers’ fields in various climate regions and proximity to breeding activities and urban market. The results will also be used for a comparison with results from a previous study of the genetic diversity and variety composition on farmers’ fields in Uganda. These two countries differ in agricultural policies and cassava cultural practices but have both experienced recent extensive cassava breeding activities. What impact and significance these activities have had on farmers in both countries will be discussed.
Sub-project 2: Expanding cassava production and accelerating commercialization in Southern Africa – adding value through product development
Principal investigator at SLU: Linley Chiwona-Karltun, Department of Urban and Rural Development
Popular summary
This project uses a value chain approach for promoting cassava breeding, commercialization and product development. By intervening in final markets to stimulate product innovation, improved processing technology and enhanced food quality safety standards, the partners aim to stimulate the growing demand for on-farm production of cassava for these dynamic commercial markets. Through working with farmers and various actors at key points along the value chain, the partners will facilitate these processes. The growth of cassava markets are expected to provide the inputs into prepared foods, animal feeds and industrial products such as starch. In order to meet these demands, cassava breeding will have to be closely linked with production that focuses on the end-uses for the respective markets.