Modernising production practices
Cassava is an economically important crop in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet farmers in the region achieve on average a yield of just 7-9 tonnes per hectare, around a third of that produced by their counterparts in Asia and Latin America. This is largely due to the high labour cost and inefficient production and processing practices.
The Cassava Mechanisation and Agroprocessing Project (CAMAP) is working towards revitalizing the cassava industry through mechanized production and agroprocessing along the cassava value chain. The Project aims to improve cassava productivity through increasing the operational efficiency and improving market linkages for smallholder farmers. With this approach, the Project is enhancing food security, incomes and livelihoods for farmers, processors, and marketers in the cassava sector.
Currently in four countries (Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania-(TAAT Cassava)), CAMAP also promotes good agronomic practices, encouraging farmers to use improved stem varieties, fertiliser and herbicides, and ensure timely farm operations.
Since its launch in 2013, the Project has increased the efficiency and timeliness of operations the key results being 200% increase in yields, 100% increase in incomes, improved quality of life and attraction of more women and youth into cassava farming as a business.
Mechanisation has increased the efficiency and timeliness of operations and this has attracted women and youths into cassava farming.
Due to the success of CAMAP in Nigeria, Agridrive was formed to offer mechanization services as business
UK Aid was one of the original funders of AATF and continues to provide core funding to support the AATF’s operations, including helping to build institutional capacity and strengthen corporate governance. It partially supports some projects, complementing project funding from other investors and wholly funds others. The larger part of CAMAP activities are supported with funding from the UK Aid,
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supports the TELA, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa, QBS, the Hybrid Rice: Breeding by Design projects and has contributed to integrating IT into CAMAP. The Foundation previously supported the WEMA project and also provided core funding for organizational operational support.
African Development Bank AfDB is supporting AATF in executing the Maize Compact and Enabling Policy Compact under their program Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT).
increase in income for farmers per ha from 700 USD to 2000 USD
Reduction in drudgery for farmers especially women
increase in yields per hectare from 7-9 tonnes to over 25 tonnes
beneficiaries of CAMAP Project to date
Muinga G and Marechera G (2018) The effect of mechanisation on cassava production in Ogun, Osun, Kwara States of Nigeria. Food Chain 7:1, 1-14
Download Resource file
Marechera,G.T., Muinga G. (2017) Value chain approaches to mechanization in cassava cultivation and harvesting in Africa. In Hershey, C. H. (ed.), Achieving sustainable cultivation of cassava Volume 1: Cultivation techniques, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK (ISBN: 978 1 78676 000 5; www.bdspublishing.com)
Download Resource file