INPUTS AND RESOURCES REQUIRED IN CASSAVA PRODUCTION

Raw Materials: Because of the Research and Development (R&D) work by IITA and National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) scientists, Nigeria has the advantage of improved, high-yielding disease-resistant varieties. The challenge is to multiply these varieties and to make them available to farmers who supply the cassava processors. The average starch percentage for Nigerian old cassava varieties is about 20%. The new IITA varieties average above 25%. However, selected farmers in Brazil have the competitive advantage of varieties with 30% starch. To compete effectively, Nigerian research institutions should aim to develop higher starch varieties immediately. Another critical input is fertilizers. With subsidized fertilizers provided through the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs), its availability is limited

and unpredictable. Private sector agents provide additional fertilizers at free market prices, but are unwilling to store large amounts, which they might not sell, thanks to the uncertainty about the quantity of subsidized fertilizer that may become available.

Finance – The majority of cassava farmers and processors live in areas that are resource-poor, highly heterogeneous and risk prone (PIND, 2011). Consequently, conventional financial institutions are not inclined to provide loans to these without collateral. In order to support poor smallholder farmers, in 1989 the Federal Government introduced a policy to liberalize their access to credit. The measures included the recapitalization and consolidation of commercial banks as a matter of policy, the establishment of micro finance institutions and community banks, and the reforms in the National Agricultural Credit and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB), and the Bank of Industry (BOI). Several other financial incentives and initiatives are also under consideration by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Human Resource Development (HRD) Labour force and training: Even though Nigeria has more than 45 Universities and a similar number of higher educational institutions (polytechnics, colleges of agriculture and education, etc) the content and depth of training available in such institutions are not considered adequate to transform current small scale orientation in cassava farming to the commercial scale production systems (PIND, 2011). There is a dearth of skilled manpower in the technical and managerial aspects of large-scale farming and post harvest processing.

Physical Infrastructure – the local, state and federal government supplies these. Their state of disrepair contributes to high transportation costs, making the cassava products uncompetitive. Additionally, poor information dissemination across value/supply chain prevents decision makers’ direct access to market partners, support institutions, price sources and technical information.