Cassava seed-bulking farms

Quality cassava cuttings close to the fields

Seed-bulking farms for cassava provide quality planting material to smallholder farmers directly close to their field. Seed-bulking farms are decentralized systems of production of large amounts of cutting from improved cassava varieties that are free of pest and diseases. In addition to facilitating access to improved varieties, these farms reduce the cost of transporting cuttings to the farmers’ field, thus increasing the profitability.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 7/9

Positive or neutral impact

Adults 18 and over: Positive high
The poor: Positive high
Under 18: Positive low
Women: Positive high

Positive or neutral impact

Climate adaptability: It adapts really well
Adaptability for farmers: It helps a lot
Biodiversity: It helps them grow and thrive
Carbon footprint: It reduces emissions a lot
Environment: It makes a big difference
Soil quality: It makes the soil healthier and more fertile
Water usage: It uses the same amount of water

Problem

Cassava growing in Africa faces a number of challenges in terms of the distribution and availability of disease-resistant planting material:

The distribution of cassava stem cuttings is problematic as they rapidly lose their sprouting vigor when stored. Moreover, their bulk and weight drive up transport costs, limiting the supply of improved cassava planting material.
Rural communities with poor road connectivity in remote parts of African countries face severe limitations in accessing disease-resistant cassava planting material, affecting their agricultural productivity and food security.
Smallholder farmers often rely on seed companies and institutions with limited geographical coverage, restricting their access to improved cassava varieties and pest- and disease-free planting materials.

Solution

The establishment of cassava seed-bulking farms offers promising solutions to these challenges :

These decentralized farms offer a cost-effective way to produce cassava planting materials, allowing multiplication of stem cuttings closer to cultivation fields.
Seed-bulking farms provide high-quality, disease-free cassava stem cuttings, improving access to superior cassava varieties.
This approach supports community-based businesses, boosting incomes for farmers and processors.
Cassava seed-bulking farms achieve high multiplication rates, enabling efficient distribution of planting materials.
Reduced transport times and decentralized production enhance planting material survival, leading to increased cassava yields and food crop resilience.