Transforming Cassava, Mobile Processing for Sustainable Agriculture
The specially constructed MCPP consists of modern processing machinery and an electricity generator housed on a six-wheel machinery carrier equipped with a loader crane. Both the back sides and the tailgate of the truck open flat to form a larger flatbed, platform or processing workspace. Depending on the product for which the mobile machinery was tailored, processing operations can be completed on the workspace combined with the ground-level workspace. Specific standard operating procedures are used for processing the product of choice.
This technology is TAAT1 validated.
Adults 18 and over: Positive high
The poor: Positive low
Under 18: Positive high
Women: Positive high
Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable
Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement
Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health
Water use: A bit less water used
Carbon footprint: More carbon released
Scarcity of Fresh Cassava for Processors: Industrial processors in cities face operational challenges due to insufficient fresh cassava supply. Unreliable raw material availability hinders consistent production.
Inaccessibility of Rural Roads: Rural areas lack accessible roads, limiting market access for cassava farmers. Farmers face reduced market opportunities and increased transportation difficulties.
Lack of Infrastructure in Rural Areas: Insufficient infrastructure in rural settings discourages investments in fixed processing factories. Hindered economic development in rural areas and limited processing capabilities.
Risk of Postharvest Losses: Cassava's perishable nature poses a risk of significant postharvest losses during transportation. Economic losses for farmers and reduced overall supply chain efficiency.
High Transportation Costs: Transportation costs are elevated due to the bulkiness of fresh cassava roots during transportation. Increased operational costs and reduced competitiveness of city-based processing factories.
Stable Cassava Supply for Processors: On-site processing ensures a stable supply of cassava, overcoming the challenge of insufficient raw material for industrial processors.
Enhanced Market Access for Farmers: Processing at the farm-gate eliminates the need for transportation over inaccessible rural roads, reducing market access limitations for farmers.
Flexible Processing Independent of Infrastructure: The mobile nature of MCPP provides a flexible processing solution independent of extensive infrastructure in rural settings.
Minimized Postharvest Losses: Immediate on-site processing with the MCPP minimizes the risk of postharvest losses by converting cassava into shelf-stable products right after harvest.
Reduced Transportation Costs for Factories: Processing cassava at the farm-gate with the MCPP allows the transport of less bulky and semi-processed products to central factories, mitigating the financial burden on processing factories.
A Solution for Cassava Processing
The Mobile Cassava Processing Plant addresses significant challenges in cassava production, notably rapid post-harvest deterioration and limited access to processing facilities.
In Nigeria, the Mobile Cassava Processing Plant has demonstrated transformative potential. Developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the plant was showcased to a farmers' group from the Abeokuta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (ABEOCCIMA) in Ogun State. The group expressed strong interest in partnering with IITA to acquire the mobile processing equipment for six local government areas, aiming to enhance their cooperative business operations.
This technology supports several Sustainable Development Goals by increasing farmers’ income (SDG 1), enhancing food security (SDG 2), empowering women through better income opportunities (SDG 5), creating jobs and stimulating economic growth (SDG 8), introducing innovative processing solutions and improving rural infrastructure (SDG 9), promoting efficient resource use (SDG 12), and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (SDG 13).
This technology is an integral component of the Cassava Toolkit, working synergistically with complementary innovations Improved Cassava Varieties with High Dry Matter and Starch Content offers higher yields and better-quality roots ideal for processing.
Golden cassava varieties have been introduced in Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda under the Enabling Sustainable Regional Agricultural Extension (ENSURE) project funded by AfDB.
Cost of a mobile processing factory
Gari production
Startup Capital (gari production)
Startup capital (high-quality cassava cake)
ROI (high-quality cassava cake)
Open source / open access
Country | Testing ongoing | Tested | Adopted |
---|---|---|---|
Nigeria | –No ongoing testing | Tested | Adopted |
This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.
AEZ | Subtropic - warm | Subtropic - cool | Tropic - warm | Tropic - cool |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arid | – | – | – | – |
Semiarid | – | – | – | – |
Subhumid | – | – | – | |
Humid | – | – |
Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.
Preparation:
Transportation to Farm-Gate:
On-Site Processing:
Product Extraction:
Transportation of Processed Products:
Centralized Drying and Packaging:
Maintenance:
Recordkeeping:
Last updated on 11 December 2024