Activities
The Regional Cassava Processing and Marketing Initiative is implemented at national and regional levels.
National level activities
1. Upgrading traditional cassava products and/or developing new cassava derivates
Objective: To assist the various national R&T projects in implementing pilots meant to produce and trade upgraded traditional or new cassava derivates -either as human foods or animal feeds.
Delivery mechanism: Provision of tailored back-up to R&T teams in upgrading production of traditional cassava derivates or in elaborating new ones by means of: i) specific pilots; ii) training/demonstration exercises to support the adoption of the new technology proposed with the pilots; and iii) the delivery of technological, market and trade supporting information.
2. Investigating and securing new national and external markets for cassava derivates
Objective: To support the various private operators targeted by R&T projects’ teams in exploiting new segments on domestic and external markets.
Delivery mechanism: Provision of support to R&T teams in identifying and exploiting new segments on both domestic and external markets through: i) the elaboration of market studies/investigations (country, region-wide and EU focused –for the ethnic/fair-trade or organic market); ii) the working out of marketing or export strategies for those selected domestic market segments or external markets that show to have the most promising potentials; and iii) the implementation of promotional campaigns to stimulate the consumption of cassava derivates and to favour the trading activities, on domestic or external markets, of private operators.
3. Increasing the degree of integration of the various actors within the chain
Objective: To add value to the planned or ongoing efforts of R&T projects’ teams in building up more competitive, market-respondent and better integrated cassava chains.
Delivery mechanism: Delivery of help to R&T teams by means of: i) specific pilots targeting the constraints currently limiting chain integration (such as: lack of actors’ organization; gaps in the trade flows; shortage of instruments supporting integration); ii) educational work on subjects related to the strengthening of commodity chain linkages; and iii) promotional events (such as: seminars/workshops and awareness campaigns) focusing on benefits achievable through a higher chain integration and measures/tools to be put in place to attain it.
Regional level activities
1. Providing guidance in the selection/development of Market and Trade Information Platforms and Systems
Objective: To help R&T teams in implementing trade/market information systems that are effective, timely and gather/circulate data/information consistent among WCA countries and in clearly understanding the implications of using the services of the various trade/market information systems/platforms already -or soon to be made- available within the WCA region.
Delivery mechanism: Back-up R&T teams through the: i) preparation/distribution of informative materials on trade/market information systems and service providers; and ii) organization of events to exchange experiences/ know-how and to favour contacts with service providers (such as: training courses, workshops or seminars).
2. Fostering the exchange, within the WCA region, of cassava processing know-how and processing and marketing good practices for cassava derivates
Objective: To document and to circulate technological “innovations” (such as prototypes) and “good practices” related to the processing of cassava and to the production and marketing of its derivates.
Delivery mechanism: i) Create a data-base, to be hosted on the Fidafrique network, about manufacturers of cassava equipments and their prototypes; ii) Support R&T projects in searching small-scale technology for the processing of cassava and/or the production/marketing of its derivates; iii) Document “innovations” and “good practices” in the processing of cassava and production of derivates by using appropriate means (worksheets, leaflets, audio and video supports).
3. Advancing advocacy dialogue among/with national and regional institutions
Objective: To promote dialogue with concerned national and regional institutions so as to assure that cassava receives needed priority n national and regional agricultural development strategies.
Delivery mechanism: Promoting dialogue with concerned national and regional institutions through the: i) elaboration of tailored studies/strategies focusing on policy actions/ mechanisms fostering the growth of the cassava industry within national and regional contexts; and ii) participation to extra-regional, regional and national events.
4. Organizing yearly meeting for all the four R&T projects’ staff
Objective: To allow a constant exchange of know-how, experiences, lessons learnt and good practices among the four IFAD-funded R&T projects.
Delivery mechanism: Jointly with Fidafrique, organize one annual gathering of selected staff from the R&T projects in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria and other concerned IFAD-staff operating either at central or at regional level.