co-sponsored by
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
held in
Bangkok, Thailand
23 to 25 November, 1998
Asian Stakeholders Consultation on a Global Cassava Development Strategy Bangkok, Thailand, November 23–25, 1998
Monday, Nov. 23 | Presentation of National. Regional and Global Strategy Reports |
Chairman - Pham Van Bien | |
0800–0815 | Welcome to participants by Dr. Vijai Nopamornbodi, Deputy Director General, Dept. of Agriculture |
0815–0830 | Background and objectives of the meeting -Reinhart Howeler |
0830–0915 | Present situation and future potential of cassava in Thailand - Chareinsuk Rojanaridpiched |
0915–1010 | Present situation and future of cassava in Guangxi, China - Jin Shu Ren and Tian Yinong |
1010–1020 | Coffee break |
Chairman - Tian Yinong | |
1020–1040 | Present situation and future potential of cassava in Indonesia |
1040–1100 | Present situation and future potential of cassava in India |
1100–1115 | Present situation and future potential of cassava in Viet Nam |
1115–1130 | Present situation and future potential of cassava in the Philippines |
1130–1145 | Present situation and future potential of cassava in Malaysia |
1145–1230 | Discussion of the various country reports |
1230–1330 | Lunch |
Chairman - Suyamto H. | |
1330–1415 | Cassava in Asia - Expanding the Competitive Edge in Diversified Markets - Cair Hershey |
1415–1500 | Discussion of Regional Reports |
1500–1520 | Coffee break |
Chairman - Tan Swee Lian | |
15-20-1605 | A Global Development Strategy for Cassava: Transforming a Traditional Tropical Root Crop -Truman Phillips |
1605–1700 | Discussion of Global Strategy Paper |
1800–1900 | Dinner |
1900–2100 | Meeting of Cassava Research Advisory Committee |
Tuesday. Nov. 24 | Presentation of regional Projects and Thematic Studies |
0800–0830 | Product definition and market identification - Truman Phillips |
0830–0900 | Environmental assessment of commercial cassava processing - John Wood, Christopher Oates and Klanarong Sriroth |
0900–0940 | Environmental assessment of cassava production practices - Reinhardt Howeler |
0940–1015 | Discussion of thematic studies |
1015–1035 | Coffee break |
Chairman - S. Edison | |
1035–1100 | CIRAD root crop processing and marketing project in Viet Nam and China -Guy Henry |
1100–1130 | Nippon Foundation project on sustainable cassava production - Reinhardt Howeler |
1130–1200 | Discussion on regional projects |
1200–1330 | Lunch |
Chairman - Fernando Evangelio | |
1330–1500 | Cassava constraints analysis and needs assessment - Guy Henry |
1500–1520 | Coffee break |
1520–1730 | Discussion in working groups (by country) about national, regional and global strategy papers and to define research and development priorities |
1800–1900 | Dinner |
Wednesday. Nov. 25 | |
Chairman - Chareinsak Rojanaridpiched | |
0800–1000 | Presentation of working group results to plenary session |
100–1020 | Coffee break |
Chairman - C. Balagopalan | |
1020–1230 | Discussion in working groups (by themes) about thematic studies and future needs |
1230–1330 | Lunch |
Chairman - Truman Phillips | |
1330–1500 | Presentation of working group results to plenary session |
1500–1520 | Coffee break Chairman - Gyu Henry |
1520–1630 | Panel discussion and general discussion on strategies and priorities as well as priority setting of projects to be submitted for financing |
1630–1700 | Summary of Conclusions and Proposed Strategies - Chareinsak Rojanaridpiched and Pham. Van Bien |
1800–2000 | Closing dinner at Suan Thip Baan Suan Restaurant in Pakkret |
Working Groups | |||
Tuesday and Wednesday - Nov. 24-25 | |||
Working Group 1 | Thai participants: | - | Chairman: Chareinsak Rodjanaridpiched |
Reinhardt Howeler | - | Rapporteur: Charn Thiraporn | |
Working Group 2 | Chinese participants: | - | Chairman: Jin Shu Ren |
- | Rapporteur: Tian Yinong | ||
Guy Henry | |||
Clair Hershey | |||
Working Group 3 | Vietnamese participants | - | Chairman: Pharn Van Bien |
- | Rapporteur: Nguyen Duy Duc | ||
Christopher Oates | |||
Truman Phillips | |||
Working Group 4 | Indonesian participants | - | Chairman: Suyamto, H |
- | Rapporteur: Hardono Nugroho | ||
Chris Wheatley | |||
Working Group 5 | Indian participants | - | Chairman: S. Edison |
- | Rapporteur: Tan Swee Lian | ||
Fernando Evangelio | |||
John Wood |
Co-sponsors of Consultation Meeting
International Fund for International Development (IFAD) - Rome, Italy
Centro Internacional de Agriculture. Tropical (CIAT) - Call, Colombia
Organizing Committee
Reinhardt Howeler - CIAT Regional Cassava Office, Bangkok, Thailand.
Charri Thiraporn. - Department of Agriculture (DOA), Bangkok
Preecha Suriyaphan - Field Crops Research Institute, DOA, Bangkok
A consultation of Asian cassava stakeholders was held in Bangkok from 23-25 November 1998, as part of an ongoing process to develop a broad-based global strategy for optimizing cassava's contributions to development. The meeting had the following objectives:
Provide feedback on the draft Global as well as regional cassava development strategies, and supplementary documents, from the perspective of the Asian region.
Formulate a set of priority issues, for the Asian region, that should be considered in the final formulation of the Strategy and its subsequent implementation.
Discuss the priority projects to be submitted to IFAD or other donors for financial support.
Participants represented national research programs, private industry, and universities from the seven most important cassava-growing countries of South and Southeast Asia: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. In addition representatives from international R&D centers attended (CIAT, CIP, CIRAD, NRI).
The program involved five basic activities:
Country reports to provide a broad overview of the current cassava situation in each participating country.
Review of regional and global strategy reports.
Thematic reviews of market development, and environmental assessment of cassava production and processing.
Review of specific research projects on erosion control in cassava-based systems, marketing studies, and constraints analysis.
Working group deliberations on developing national and regional priorities, and related project proposals.
There was broad consensus that cassava has a pivotal role to play in rural development in Asia. This role continues to evolve, driven largely by the globalization of markets, long-term income growth, increasing populations, and new technology options for cassava and alternative energy sources. Cassava's roles in contributing to development revolve around future product options that rely on concentration, innovation, and/or competition. The wide range of product and marketing options make cassava a highly flexible component in a strategy for development aimed at generating income and protecting the environment, the two goals cited as most important for the region. The categories of products deemed to have high potential for the region are: starch (native and modified), starch derivatives (a wide range of household and industrial products), snack and ethnic foods, flour and animal feed.
The three R&D activities identified as most important for realizing development goals were: process and product development, market development, and varietal improvement. The identification of potential projects followed these themes to a large degree, but with one proposal aimed at reducing environmental impact of starch processing.
Cassava supports nearly half a billion people as a source of dietary calories and as a source of income, primarily the rural and urban poor in the tropics. Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean produce 48, 32 and 20%, respectively, of the world's cassava. In recognition of these critical roles of cassava, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) initiated a series of consultations, studies and reviews, as input into developing a strategy for optimizing cassava's contribution to development. A brainstorming meeting convened by IFAD recognized cassava as a food security crop and a commercial crop that lends itself to a commodity approach with strong potential to impact four fundamental development goals: alleviation of poverty, food security, equity, and protection of the environment. The actual and potential contribution to each of these goals varies widely across the continents.
IFAD proposed, and provided support, to develop a global strategy, with the purpose of..
Identifying the opportunities for further public and private investments;
Developing a framework for international technical cooperation for research and technology transfer;
Identifying more cost effective institutional mechanisms for rationalizing (and increasing to the extent possible) the allocation of public and private resources for research and investment; and
Setting the scene for future debates on global issues.
The global strategy requires a coalition of stakeholders including cassava producers and their organizations, governments, the donor community, technical and research agencies and their networks, universities, NGOs and their networks, and the private sector in order to achieve the objectives set out above.
The strategy is being developed from a number of country case studies, regional reviews, and thematic reviews. A review workshop was held in June 1997 to determine progress and plan next steps in completing the strategy. A draft strategy was prepared, and distributed to regional bodies and stakeholders for comment and modification. Each region held a stakeholder consultation to review the strategy and-present regional perspective. Reports of the Africa and Latin America/Caribbean consultations are available separately.
The Asia regional consultation was held at the Maruay Garden Hotel, Bangkok, 23-25 November 1998. The thirty-two participants included representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions, producer and processing organizations, the donors, the national and international research centers and the private sector. The list of participants is noted in Annex 1.
3.1 Opening remarks
Dr. Vijai Nopamornbodi, Deputy Director General, Department of Agriculture opened the meeting with a welcome to participants.
Dr. Reinhardt Howeler described the background of the Global Cassava Strategy, and the series of events and papers leading up to the current consultation. Objectives of the meeting were to:
Provide feedback on the draft Global as well as the Regional Cassava Development Strategy and supplementary documents, from the perspective of the Asian region.
Formulate a set of priority issues, for the Asian region, that should be considered in the final formulation of the Strategy and its subsequent implementation.
Discuss priority projects to be submitted to IFAD or other donors for financial support.
3.2 Country reports
The first half-day of presentations consisted of country summaries from the seven major producing countries of the region: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.10 Each country presented an overview of production, cassava use and trade, and the constraints and opportunities for further development of the crop.
10 Full report or their summaries are available from the CIAT Bangkok office ([email protected])
In China cassava production is growing on marginal lands where rice cannot be cultivated. The main market growth is for industrial products - native or modified starch and their derivatives. On-farm animal feeding, mainly pigs, is important as a means of adding value to the crop. Constraints are: unstable markets, competition with other crops, soil fertility degradation and erosion. Guangxi Province in China, with the highest concentration of production, is already experiencing political and economic pressure to reduce the pollution from processing plants.
India produces cassava almost exclusively in the South. A research center (CTCRI) at Trivandrum works across a broad range of research activities. Intensive cultivation practices result in the world's highest mean yields for cassava, of 24.5 t/ha. Cassava is mainly used for human consumption (Kerala) or starch extraction (Tamil Nadu). Process and product developments are seen as the principal research needs to bring additional benefits to the cassava sector.
Indonesia has a long history of cassava utilization as a staple food, especially where soil and climate conditions do not permit growing of rice, or in years of rice shortfalls. Nonetheless, cassava's role as food security crop is declining, with new interest in further diversification of products and markets. Most of the production is used internally, although there are significant exports of dry chips for animal feed and of starch. Indonesia is historically Asia's major producer, although overtaken by Thailand in the 1970s and 1980s. There is interest in expanding demand in the processed food industry, and for flour as a wheat substitute.
Cassava in Malaysia is used mainly for starch - three companies have been in business for over 40 years. Nonetheless, other crops, mainly rubber and oil palm, compete with cassava for land; as a result area planted has declined from a high of 20 000 hectares in 1976 to only about 2 000 ha in 1996. 11 High labour costs are also a major constraint for cassava, and there is a strong need to mechanize. While the government is promoting domestic production of agricultural products as a means of saving foreign currency, the competitiveness of cassava remains a concern, both in starch and animal feed markets.
In the Philippines the main market for cassava continues to be food uses (44%), followed by starch (38%) and animal feed (18%). Like in much of Asia, cassava occupies areas unsuited to rice, the preferred food. Future growth is expected to be mainly in the industrial sector. The research program at the Philippine Root Crops Research and Training Center has developed a range of production and processing technologies. Market development was defined as the highest priority area of research for the future.
The declining export market for pellets for animal feed is a broadly felt force in Thailand, and to a lesser degree in Indonesia. This has driven a search for new markets, mainly native and modified starch. In Thailand about 50% of production now goes to starch. Exports of starch rose at a rate of about 10% per year from 1974 to 1996. The domestic animal feed market has also been targeted as a means of absorbing production. One of the constraints is the high cost of imported protein required to balance diets for poultry, pigs or ruminants.
Cassava production is distributed throughout Viet Nam, occupying the poor soils of mountainous and hilly areas. As the economy has improved dramatically over the past decade, cassava's role has shifted from mainly a food security crop to an industrial crop and as a source of income through on-farm animal feeding. In South Viet Nam several large-scale starch and MSG factories are operating, largely funded by foreign investment. The cassava industry in the north is less developed, and is based on traditional household-level chip, starch, alcohol and maltose processing.
3.3 Regional report
Dr. Clair Hershey, principal author of the Asia regional review (Cassava in Asia: Expanding the Competitive Edge in Diversified Markets) presented a summary of the report, which had been distributed beforehand to invited participants. The presentation focused on regional trends and issues in the context of the goals of the Global Strategy (food security, poverty alleviation, equity and environmental protection). The main themes of the review were: trends in production, trade and utilization; and constraints and opportunities for system improvement. Alternative options for identifying priorities and defining strategies were noted. These different possible interventions became the basis for project planning within working groups that met later in the meeting: market development; process and product development; improved production systems, institutional support; integrating the system; and information management and communications technology.
The discussion of the paper focused on the economic aspects of cassava production and trade, and especially the increasing trend toward use of cassava as a raw product for starch production. The industry is very dynamic, with increasing international investment. These factories will be strongly driven to keep production costs low in a highly competitive environment. Nonetheless, there is not a universal trend toward large factories. In Indonesia, small-scale factories produce krupuk; in Viet Nam, small factories sell to larger factories for further quality improvement and modification.
3.4 Draft Global Cassava Development Strategy
Dr. Truman Phillips presented the draft strategy prepared by himself and Dr. Don Plucknett. The key message of this paper is that, for cassava to be effective as a basis for driving development, it must be part of a market demand-driven approach. The paper develops a vision for cassava that states: Cassava can spur rural industrial development and raise incomes for producers, processors and traders. Cassava can also contribute to the food security status of its producing and consuming households. The reason for developing a global cassava strategy is the belief that it will contribute to the economic wellbeing of numerous economically disadvantaged individuals in the world. A successful strategy will require catalysts and champions. Catalysts identify marketing opportunities and bring these to the attention of the stakeholders. The champions provide the research and development, infrastructure and investment, and changes in policies necessary to transform the opportunity into a reality.
3.5 Product definition and market identification
Dr. Philips described various product options for the future: fresh roots and leaves, home or village processing, starch, flour, and animal feed. Each of these was analyzed in terms of growth source (innovation, competition, or concentration), potential, and challenges. As a sort of comparison of the potential among countries, three indicators were used for each country: urban growth rate, 10% replacement of wheat imports with cassava flour, and 10% maize replacement in animal feeds. In this rough analysis, six areas are highlighted for growth potential in domestic markets: urban markets in Indonesia and the Philippines; wheat flour substitution in Myanmar and Viet Nam; and animal feed in China and Malaysia.
3.6 Environmental assessment of commercial cassava processing
Dr. John Wood, NRI, described research in India to reduce pollution and optimize the recovery of useful by-products from starch processing. The principal technology described was a hydrocyclone, which improves the efficiency of starch extraction compared to traditional methods. Starch discharged in wastewater is reduced from 350 kg/ton of extracted starch to 135 kg, with less water used. Other potential points of intervention in the system were described, as means of either reducing the waste produced, or of recycling waste products in economically viable ways. For example solid starch factory wastes are dried and added to cassava pellets.
3.7 Environmental assessment of cassava production practices and Nippon Foundation project on sustainable cassava production
Dr. Reinhardt Howeler, soil scientist and regional coordinator for CIAT in Asia, presented first an over-view of production practices in Asia, and how they may affect natural resources, and secondly a description of research results from a specific research project to reduce soil erosion in cassava-based systems. Soil nutrient depletion and soil erosion are the main environmental concerns in cassava cultivation. Since use of fertilizers and agrochemicals is only at low levels, their impact on the environment are currently not a major concern. This could change in the future.
Soil erosion is especially a concern in cassava because of wide plant spacing and the slow development of a canopy cover. Many technologies are available for reducing erosion, but the main challenge is to identify those that give farmers an economic incentive for adoption. Farmer participatory techniques are a basic part of this project, in order to maximize eventual adoption.
3.8 CIRAD root crop processing and marketing project in Viet Nam and China
Dr. Guy Henry described a project proposal developed jointly between CIRAD and national programs in Viet Nam and China. The project's purpose is to link farmers to growth markets through participatory technology development of root and tuber production, processing and market aspects, in an integrated user-perspective approach. Markets in China and Viet Nam are among the most dynamic anywhere in Asia, and the appropriate linkage of producers to these markets can make a large contribution to development through income generation for farmers.
4.1 Working group organization and tasks
Participants organized into two working group sessions (Days 2 and 3 of the consultation). Both sessions were organized by country.12 The first working group session concentrated on reviewing and reacting to issues raised in country reports, the regional review, and the global strategy paper.
The following tasks were assigned to Session 1:
Provide corrections, additions or other comments regarding country reports, the regional review and the draft global cassava strategy;
Correct and complete a table prepared by Dr. Howeler, summarizing characteristics of cassava production and utilization in Asian countries;
Review and discuss the vision for cassava as defined by the draft strategy (as stated in Section 3.4);
Rank the relative importance of different roles or contributions that cassava makes for each country, or for sub-regions within countries, vis-à-vis food security, equity, income generation, and environmental impact;
Identify and evaluate new cassava opportunities, describe what is required for development of the opportunity, identify limitations or barriers, and identify catalysts and champions for each market opportunity;
Rank the importance of various components within a cassava development strategy, for each country.
The second working group session (Day 3) focused on preliminary project planning, based on the analyses from the first session. Each working group chose a priority area around which to develop a draft proposal, such as might be later refined and submitted to IFAD or another donor.
4.2 Summary of working group discussion: Session 1
4.2.1 Feedback on country reports, regional review and draft global strategy
There were few direct comments on improvements to be made to reports as presented. The Thai representatives suggested eliminating the second sentence of the draft global strategy vision statement, such that the statement would read: Cassava can spur rural industrial development and raise incomes for producers, processors and traders.
The comprehensive, corrected table on characteristics of cassava production and utilization in Asia will be incorporated into the final version of the regional review. One participant offered to send comments at a later date on the regional review document.
4.2.2 Contribution of cassava to development goals
Table 1 summarizes each country's perceptions of the relative importance of cassava in contributing to development goals. There are some clear distinctions among countries, but also some common threads. Cassava's role in income generation is highlighted in all countries, although less important in a few sub-regions within countries. In contrast, cassava's role in food security is limited to a few specific areas, most importantly, Kerala (India), Java, the Philippines, and North Viet Nam. Equity is most important in Indonesia, where cassava is a basic staple in some areas. Environmental issues are noted broadly across the region; however, the nature of these issues varies. Two issues were noted. Problems of soil erosion and loss of soil fertility are wide-spread, given cassava's cultivation generally on sloping soils. Pollution from processing, especially for starch extraction, is somewhat of a constraint everywhere, and especially in Guangxi province of China, in Tamil Nadu state of India, and on Sumatra Island of Indonesia.
4.23 Identification of opportunities
The various market opportunities, by country, are noted in Table 2. Since in this exercise, these were not ranked in terms of importance, most countries noted most of the categories of opportunities. The animal feed market is seen as an opportunity in every country - this in spite of the sharply declining export opportunities to Europe. The optimism with regard to this market is based mainly on internal growth rates of consumption of meat and other animal products, and lack of internal capacity to produce sufficient grains. Starch and the wide range of starch products are growth markets throughout most of the region. The attention given to snack and ethnic foods is a recognition of the potential for niche markets where cassava or cassava starch has special advantages because of its starch or culinary characteristics. Flour substitution in bakery and other products is a good potential market in the Philippines and Indonesia, both of which import all their wheat. China and the Philippines noted the potential for producing alcohol from cassava (beverage industry).
4.2.4 Activities and conditions for realizing development opportunities.
Table 3 lists the assumptions or preconditions, and activities or products needed, in order to achieve successful development based on different cassava products. This table does not identify these with specific countries, but rather synthesizes regional commonalities. Working groups were more easily able to identify activities or products needed, than to identify the assumptions or pre-conditions. The integration among various public and private sector partners is noted. Appropriate varieties figure heavily in the needed technology, both to bring value-added traits to the marketplace (e.g., high starch), and to reduce production costs to make cassava competitive with alternative carbohydrate sources. Improved processing technologies are needed to create new, high quality products that can compete in increasingly more demanding markets. Several products involve processes that have potential to cause environmental pollution, and low-cost by-product recycling and pollution control technology are needed.
Given the multilingual composition of the working group participants, with few people having English as a first language, the concept of catalysts and champions was somewhat difficult to transmit fully. While the exercise was intended to separately identify catalysts and champions for each market opportunity, this was not possible. Annex 2 lists the details of each country's analysis of market opportunities. In Table 3, the identified catalysts and champions are combined for each market. On the whole, participants identified mainly the champions, and few catalysts. These include a range of public and private institutions and NGOs. Research institutes figure heavily as champions across all the markets, as well as industries specific to- each market.
4.2.5. Ranking of components of strategies for meeting development goals.
Working groups for each country went through a two-part exercise to prioritize various components in a cassava-based development strategy: first, a rating from 1–5 (1=not important; 5=highest priority); and secondly, a relative ranking of all components from highest to lowest. Table 4 summarizes the latter of these two approaches. Process and product development, and market development, stand out as clear high priority areas across the region (except China and India, where there are broad markets for cassava products, and Thailand, where process and product development is well advanced, and capacity for continued progress is in place. Varietal development, long a priority in the region, retains a high priority except in India and Malaysia.
It should be noted that nearly all the components were given an absolute rating of important or very important, so even those that are ranked last in the relative ranking are not considered unimportant in the region
4.3 Summary of working group discussion: Session 2
The working documents for project development are appended as Annex 3. The following summarizes the goals and outputs of the projects proposed by each country.
China (Guangxi Province) | |
Title: | Controlling pollution from small and medium-scale cassava starch factories in southern China. |
Goal: | Improved water quality for aquatic life and human uses |
Outputs: | 1. Modified technology from factories using other starch sources |
2. Cleaner water for environmental safety and recycling | |
3. Demonstration model for other regions | |
India | |
Title: | Integrated production, processing and marketing system for cassava |
Goal: | 1. Improving income and food security |
2. Protecting the environment | |
3. generating rural employment | |
Outputs: | 1. Local utilization of production |
2. Stabilization of price and market opportunity | |
3. Employment generation | |
4. Improved income for marginal farmers | |
5. Improved food security | |
6. Protection of the environment | |
Indonesia | |
Title: | Cassava flour utilization in small-scale industries |
Goals: | 1. Increasing demand for cassava flour |
2. Increasing food security through food diversification | |
Outputs: | 1. Food products development (wheat flour substitution; new products; improved traditional products; characterization |
2. Market development (feasibility studies -economic and consumer preference) | |
3. Small-scale business development (flour mill factories; equipment development) | |
Malaysia | |
Title: | Processing and drying of cassava for animal feed |
Goal: | Substitution of imported maize with locally produced cassava |
Outputs: | 1. Practical and efficient system to process and dry cassava, and incorporate into animal feed |
2. A competitive form of cassava-based feed as a partial substitute of maize | |
Philippines | |
Title: | Development of high-value products from cassava |
Goal: | Expanding the cassava industry in the Philippines |
Outputs: | 1. High quality starch produced at the village level |
2. Sustainable alcohol production | |
3. Utilization of cassava for HFGS | |
4. Integrated system involving production, feed mills and livestock | |
Thailand | |
Title: | Market development for cassava products |
Goal: | To encourage the demand of domestic and foreign consumption of cassava |
Outputs: | 1. New flour and starch-based products for domestic use in human consumption |
2. Modified starches for industrial use | |
3. Products competitive in the animal feed industry | |
Viet Nam | |
Title: | Integrating cassava production based on improvement of small-scale cassava processing in the south of Viet Nam |
Goal: | Generate additional income for cassava growers |
Output: | 1. Improved on-farm processing systems |
2. Rural development through increased farm income | |
3. Linkages developed among producers, processors, traders and consumers to improve system efficiency and product quality. |
A broad range of stakeholders from the Asian cassava sector affirmed the importance of cassava in the region as a vehicle for development, through income generation and for achieving greater equity among income groups. In specific regions it remains a food security crop, though its importance as such is declining. Environmental impact is a concern both from the production (soil conservation; fertility maintenance) and processing (starch factory wastes) sides.
Since income generation is the main development goal, the identification of market opportunities is a central element of defining future potential. Across the region, the principal current and future market opportunities are seen as: native and modified starch, value-added processes to derive a wide range of domestic and industrial products from starch, snack and ethnic foods (speciality and niche markets), flour, and animal feed.
Successful development of these markets depends on a combination of improved production technology that reduces unit production costs and has low environmental impact, improved efficiencies in processing, and market development. This will necessarily involve a wide range of players, including public R&D institutions, universities, and the private sector.
In general the public sector has covered development of production technology, and the private sector the processing technology and marketing. New varieties with high yield and high starch are having substantial impact in Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam and China. Soil erosion control methods are being developed with a strong component of farmer participation. Methods for reducing and recycling wastes from starch factories are gradually being implemented
Given the low levels of funding traditionally dedicated to cassava research, and minimal involvement of the private sector, maximum efficiency in use of resources is needed. Regional representatives ranked process and product development, market development, and varietal development as highest priorities for meeting development goals.
Stakeholders noted that as agricultural production and trade become increasingly a part of a global free market system, regional coordination to achieve greater efficiency and competitiveness is ever more important. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) has spearheaded network coordination for almost two decades. Obtaining a combination of public and private support for a continuation of this coordination is a clear future priority.
Table 1. Relative importance of cassava in contributing to development goals.
Country/Region | Food security | Equity | Income generation | Environmental impact | Import substitution/industry development13 | |
China | *** | |||||
Guangxi | - | - | *** | *** | ** | |
Guangdong | - | - | *** | *** | ** | |
Hainan | - | - | *** | *** | ** | |
Yunnan | - | - | *** | *** | ||
India | ||||||
Kerala | *** | ** | - | - | ** | |
Tamil Nadu | - | ** | *** | *** | - | |
Andhra Pradesh | - | ** | *** | *** | - | |
Central & NE | - | - | - | - | ** | |
Indonesia | ||||||
Java | *** | *** | ** | ** | -> | |
S. Sumatra | - | *** | *** | *** | *** | |
Other Islands | - | ** | *** | *** | - | |
Malaysia | - | ** | ** | ** | ** | |
Philippines | ||||||
Luzon | ** | - | - | - | ||
Visayas | ** | ** | ** | ** | ||
Mindanao | *** | ** | ** | ** | ||
Thailand | - | ** | ** | ** | ||
Viet Nam | ||||||
North | ** | * | ** | ** | ||
South | * | * | ** | ** |
13 this category was added by some working groups, but not considered by others.
Table 2. Identification of market opportunities.
Product | China | India | Indonesia | Malaysia | Philippines | Thailand | Viet Nam |
Native starch | √ | √ | √ | ||||
Modified starch | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
Starch derivatives | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
Snack/ethnic foods | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
Flour | √ | √ | |||||
Animal feed | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Alcohol | √ | √ |
Table 3. Summary of research activities or conditions required to realize development opportunities.
Product | Assumptions or preconditions | Activities or products needed | Catalysts and champions |
Starch | Integration among actors: local government plan: access to land | Varieties with short cycle, high DM, high yield; improved processing technology; new market development: market analysis: joint ventures: on-farm starch extraction technologies | National R&T research programs: starch factories: private sector investors: universities |
Starch derivatives | Institutional support: private sector | Technology development and adaptation: pollution reduction; new product development | Food industry; engineering institutes; private sector investors; drink/canned food manufactures |
Snack/ethnic foods | market development; product development; organization of cooperatives for marketing | Research institutes; NGOs; cooperatives; private industry | |
Flour | Institutional and industry support; government support | Coordination among producers, processor and users | Research institutes; NGOs; industry |
Animal feed | Development of animal industry; lower cost of protein sources | Economic feasibility studies; technology Animal producers; cassava traders; for waste recycling; use of leaves in silage; market development; high yield and high DM varieties; low-cost, efficient drying technology | Animal producers, cassava traders, extensionists; small scale processors; feed industry; research institutes; universities |
Alcohol | Reduced production costs; high yielding/high DM varieties; pollution reduction technology | Beverage industry; research institutes |
Table 4. Relative ranking, by country, of components of cassava-based strategies for meeting development goals.
Strategy component | China | India | Indonesia | Malaysia | Philippines | Thailand | Viet Nam | Overall rank |
Market development | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Process and product development | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
Improved production systems | 4 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
Environmental resources issues | 3 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
Crop management | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 6 | |
Varietal development | 1 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Institutional support | 8 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 9 | |
Integrating the system | 7 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 5 |
Farmer participatory research | 10 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
Technology transfer | 5 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 7 |
Information management | 11 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
Brazil | |
Dr. Guy Henry | Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Campinas, Sao Paulo |
Canada | |
Dr. Truman Phillips | dTp Studies, Guelph, Ontario |
China | |
Mr. Jin Shu Ren | Guangxi Nanning Cassava Technical Development Center, Nanning, Guangxi |
Mr. Tian Yinong | Guangxi Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Nanning, Guangxi |
Mr. Huang Re | Chinese Academy Tropical Agric. Sciences, Danzhou, Hainan |
Colombia | |
Dr. Chris Wheatley | Centro Intemacional de Agriculture Tropical (CIAT), Cali |
Dr. Clair Hershey | Centro Intemacional de Agriculture Tropical (CIAT), Call |
England | |
Dr. John Wood | Natural Resources Institute (NRI) |
India | |
Dr. S. Edison | Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Trivandrum, Kerala |
Dr. C. Balagopalan | Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Trivandrum, Kerala |
Indonesia | |
Dr. Suyarnto H. | Research Inst. For Legumes and Tuber Crops, Malang, E. Java |
Mr. Soemarjo Poespodarsono | Brawijaya University, Malang, E. Java |
Mr. Hardono Nugroho | P.T. Great Pineapple Company, Umas Jaya Farm, Lampung, Sumatra |
Mr. Fauzan | P.T. Great Pineapple Company, Umas Jaya Farm, Lampung, Sumatra |
Malaysia | |
Dr. Tan Swee Lian | Malaysia Agric. Research and Development Inst., Kuala Lumpur |
Philippines | |
Mr. Fernando Evangelio | Philippine Root Crops Research and Training Center, Baybay, Leyte |
Thailand | |
Dr. Chareinsuk Rojanaridpiched | Kasetsart University, Bangkok |
Dr. Klanarong Sriroth | Dept. Biotechnology, Kasetsart Univ., Bangkok |
Dr. Sulat Sriwatanapongse | BIOTEC, National Center For Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Bangkok |
Dr. Omsab Nopamortibodi | Department of Agriculture, Bangkok |
Mr. Charn Tiraporn | Department of Agriculture, Bangkok |
Mr. Preecha Suriyaphan | Field Crops Research Inst., DOA, Bangkok |
Mr. Watana Watananonta | Rayong Field Crops Research Center, Rayong |
Ms. Wilawan Vongkasem | Department Agric. Extension, Bangkok |
Mr. Klaivan Klakhaeng | Department Agric. Extension, Bangkok |
Mr.Somporn Phongvuliprapan | Thai Tapioca Development Institute, Huay Pong |
Ms. Vanna Chaengsrisook | Thai Tapioca Development Institute, Bangkok |
Dr. Christopher Oates | Centro Intemacional de la Papa (CIP), Bangkok |
Dr. Reinhardt Howeler | Centro Intemacional de Agric. Tropical (CIAT), Bangkok |
Viet Nam | |
Dr. Pham Van Bien | Institute of Agric. Sciences of South Viet Nam (IAS), Ho Chi Minh |
Dr. Hoang Kim | Institute of Agnc. Sciences of South Viet Nam (TAS), Ho Chi Minh |
Mr. Nguyen Duy Due | Postharvest Technology Institute, Ho Chi Minh |
Thailand
Market opportunity | What is required for the development of the opportunity? | What are the major limitation or barriers to the expansion | Who are the Catalysts and Champions? What is their role? |
Modified starch | Technology | - Market | Catalyst: |
- Competition among products | - Government agency | ||
(Ministry of Science & Technology) | |||
Champion: | |||
- Starch factory | |||
Domestic animal feed | Lower price of protein sources | -Competition with maize | Catalyst: |
- Ministry of Science & Technology | |||
- TDDI | |||
Champion: | |||
- Feed mills |
Viet Nam
Market opportunity | What is required for the development of the opportunity? | What are the major limitation or barriers to the expansion | Who are the Catalysts and Champions? What is their role? |
High quality cassava starch | - Market studies | - Appropriate technology | - CIAT, IFAD, ACIAR VEDAN |
- Local government plan | - Investment capital | - IAS, PHTI | |
Modified cassava starch | Market Studies | - Technical specification | -IFAD, CIAT |
- IAS, PHTI Universities | |||
- Market information | - Local/international enterprises | ||
Snack foods | Markets studies | - Appropriate technology | - IFAD, CIAT, ICIAR |
- Investment capital | - IAS, PHTI and Universities | ||
- Product descriptions | |||
Animal feed (pellet form) | - Livestock development | - Appropriate technology | - IFAD, CIAT, NRI, AUS AID |
- Adding value | |||
- Market studies | - Investment capital | - IAS, PHTI, DOA, local enterprises |
China
Market opportunity | What is required for the development of the opportunity? | What are the major limitation or barriers to the expansion | Who are the Catalysts and Champions? What is their role? |
Starch | - High yield, high DM | - Shortage of raw material | - AGR&T dev. STRCI, GSA |
- Short cycle vars. | - Small scale | - TDI | |
- Improved processing technology | -Poor equipment | ||
Better integration of actors | - Technology transfer | ||
- Short harvesting period | |||
Animal feed | - Processing waste valorization | - Low protein | - Animal producer traders |
- Incorporation of leaves silage | - Tech. adapt. & transfer | - Extensionist | |
Alcohol | - Reduction of costs | - Costs | - Private sector (beverage & other industries) |
- Reduction pollution | - Pollution | ||
Organic acids | - Technology development & adaptation | -Technology | - Private sector (food industry) |
- Environmental reduction | - Environment | ||
Food additives | - Institutional support | - Lack of experience & know-how | - Private industry |
- Inst. of chem. engineering |
India
Market opportunity | What is required for the development of the opportunity? | What are the major limitation or barriers to the expansion | Who are the Catalysts and Champions? What is their role? |
- Food: Diversified domestic convenience food | - On farm multi-purpose starch extraction units for cassava and sweet potato | - Lack of awareness | |
- Publicity | Catalysts: | ||
- Feed on farm utilization | - Financing | - Government organizations | |
- Modified starches, converted starches | - NGO's | ||
- Fermented products | - Organize cooperative marketing in semi-urban areas | - Village coops. Women Coops. | |
- Instant convenient industrial food products | -Societies | ||
- Chemicals | - Complete involvement of private sector | - Lack of confidence in product development and marketing | Champions: |
- Biodegradable pesticides | - Farmers | ||
-Small scale processors and industrialists |
Indonesia
Market opportunity | What is required for the development of the opportunity? | What the major limitation or barriers to the expansion | Who are the Catalysts and Champions? What is their role? |
Cassava flour for food industry | -Coordination among producers, processors users. | -Flour quality | |
-Government support | -Consumer acceptance | ||
Starch and modified starch | -Market studies | -Investment cost | Private sector: |
-Joint ventures | -Technology | -involve producers | |
-Find market | |||
-Provide Funds | |||
Animal feed | -Feasibility study for competitive production cost corn. | -Price of corn | -Feed industry (role: as above) |
Snack foods | -Product development | -Market development | -Research Institutes, NGO's, cooperatives, private companies. |
Philippines
Market opportunity | What is required for the development of the opportunity? | What are the major limitation or barriers to the expansion | Who are the Catalysts and Champions? What is their role? |
Flour/grater-ethnic food internal/external) | Full support from all players (government, academia, industry NGO's) | -Less support | Scu's/Res. Institute NGO's/industry/Farm's coops/org. |
-Lack of policy | |||
-Lack of technology | |||
-Inefficient production systems | |||
Starch (modified) | Technology (variety, Processing, market) | -Funds | Industry/SCU, Res. Inst. NGO's/farmer's crops |
-Inefficient production systems | |||
Animal feed | Variety, technology | -Insufficient supply of raw materials | Pig/livestock raisers/Res. Institute, SCU's |
-Lack of financial support | |||
Alcohol HFCS | Variety, technology | -Production constraints | Industry/SCU's, Research Institutes |
-Waste management- | |||
-Cost |
Malaysia
Market opportunity | What is required for the development of the opportunity? | What are the major limitation or barriers to the expansion | Who are the Catalysts and Champions? What is their role? |
Starch | - Access to suitable land | - Competition from other crops | Catalyst: MARDI (make aware the local demand for starch) |
-Native | - Availability of native starch | - Limited starch production at present | Champions: existing starch processors, private sector investors (to provide capital) |
-Modified | |||
Snack food | -Private sector investment | -Upgrading of packing | Catalyst: MARDI (show potential) |
-Technologies for innovative new products | -Competition from snacks made from white potato, corn and wheat flour | Champions: existing starch processors, private sector investors (to provide capital) | |
Livestock feed | -Cheap but efficient drying technology - | -Competition from cheap imported com | Catalyst: Ministry of Agric. (to substitute high corn imports) |
Cheaper cassava price | -Low protein content of cassava | Champions: private sector investors, feed millers (to provide capital) | |
Sweetener | -Increased starch production | -Low yield and price for sugar | Catalysts: Ministry of Agric. (to substitute high sugar imports) |
-Lower production costs | -Insufficient supply of starch | Champion: private sector investors, drink/canned food manufacturers (to use product) |
COUNTRY: CHINA
TITLE: CONTROLLING POLLUTION FROM SMALL AND MEDIUM - SCALE CASSAVA STARCH FACTORIES IN SOUTHERN CHINA
GOAL: Improved water quality for aquatic life and human uses.
OBJECTIVES:
- Adopt economical and practical technologies for reducing COD and BOD to national standards.
- Recovery of economically useful products from effluent.
- Reduce cyanogens to meet national standards.
OUTPUTS:
- A successful modified technology from factories using other starch sources.
- Cleaner water for environmental safety and recycling.
- Demonstration for others.
OBJECTIVES:
- Identify 2 typical starch factories with capacity of 35 and 100 t/day, having good management and good relations with the community and other factories. Factory owners should recognize an urgent need for reducing pollution potential.
- Identification and selection of sources of biological and engineering components.
- Identify monitoring agency.
- Design and implement system.
- Measure output.
COLLABORATORS:
CTDC, EPRI, GXSA, KAPI
AREAS OF INTEREST:
Guangxi, Hainan, Guandong, Yunnan
FUNDING:
1.2 million $US
COUNTRY: INDIA
TITLE: INTEGRATED PRODUCTION, PROCESSING AND MARKETING SYSTEM FOR CASSAVA.
GOALS:
- Improving food security and income.
- Protection of environment.
- Rural employment.
KEY OBJECTIVES:
- Testing and popularization of cassava according to regional requirements for food security and industrial development.
- Elimination of Cassava Mosaic Disease through management practices.
- Improving storability and multiplication of planting materials.
- Development of on & off farm food, feed and industrial products.
- Protection of environment.
- Organization of village level marketing coops.
PRINCIPAL OUTPUTS:
- In situ utilization of produce.
- Stabilization of price and market.
- Employment generation.
- Increase income marginal farmer.
- Ensure food security.
- Protection of environment beneficiaries.
BENEFICIARIES:
- Marginal farmers
- Villagers
- Processors
SOURCE OF FUNDS EXPECTED:
- Government of India
- IFAD
- CIRAD
- CIAT
COUNTRY: PHILIPPINES
TITLE: DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH VALUE PRODUCTS FROM CASSAVA
GOAL: Expanding the cassava industry in the Philippines
OBJECTIVES:
- To increase farmers' incomes from cassava.
- To increase the utilization of cassava.
OUTPUTS:
- High quality starch production at the village level. Sustainable alcohol production.
- Utilization of cassava for HFGS.
- Integrated cassava production, feedmill and livestock system.
ACTIVITIES:
- Identification of players and their roles.
- Participatory approach (GAIN).
- Capability building/institutional building. Multi-disciplinary and integrated.
AREA OF INTEREST:
- Food security, equity, poverty alleviation.
BENEFICIARIES:
- Small farming households, crops, processors, consumers.
INTERACTION:
- Project (private companies: LTDI, NGO's).
- Cooperating agencies (coops, PO's).
SOURCES OF FUNDS:
- GOP
- LTDI
- LGUs
- Processors
COUNTRY: INDONESIA
TITLE: CASSAVA FLOUR UTILIZATION PROJECT (SMALL SCALE)
COMPONENTS:
- Varietal & crop production improvement
- Processing technology development.
- Equipment technology development.
GOAL:
- Increasing demand of cassava flour utilization.
- Increasing food security through food diversification.
OBJECTIVES:
- Improving income of small farmers and involved people.
- Improving cassava flour production and utilization Systems.
OUTPUTS:
- Food products development
- Specific products.
- Food characterization.
- Feasibility/economic study.
- Small scale business development.
- Equipment production.
- Wheat flour substitution.
- Improved traditional processing.
- Market development for new cassava products.
- Consumer preference information.
- Flour mill factory.
ACTVITIES:
- Varietal & crop production improvement.
- Processing technology development.
- Small equipment development for flour production.
- Training & workshop for farmers and processors.
COLLABORATORS:
- Farmers (cooperatives).
- Extensionists.
- Women's groups.
- Local bakeries/food industries.
- NGO's. Equipment/machinery specialist.
- International agencies: (CIAT, IFAD, ADB, etc.).
AREAS OF INTEREST:
- Production.
- Marketing.
- Utilization.
- Small-scale role.
INTERNATIONAL WITH OTHER PROJECTS:
- Food diversification project (governmental)
- Poverty alleviation project (governmental).
- Cassava improvement project
- Soil/crop management project.
WITH REGIONAL NETWORK:
- Asian Cassava Network. - CBN.
SUGGESTION FOR FINANCES:
- IFAD
- Government programs.
- ADB/World Bank.
- Private sectors (Assoc. of tapioca producers).
DURATION:
3-5 years
COUNTRY: MALAYSIA
TITLE: PROCESSING AND DRYING OF CASSAVA FOR ANIMAL FEED
GOAL: Substitution of imported grain corn with locally produced cassava
OBJECTIVES:
- Cost-efficient technology for processing and drying cassava for animal feed to be developed.
- To produce dried cassava for animal feed at < 85% price of imported corn.
OUTPUTS:
- Practical and efficient System to process and dry cassava into feed.
- A competitive form of cassava-based feed as a partial substitute of corn.
ACTIVITIES: Year 1
- Literature review on topics
- Review/evaluation of available machinery for processing & drying
- Selection of components of system
Year 2
- Formulation of system
- Available machines/equipment. Fabrication.
- Testing of system.
- Modification/fine tuning of system.
- Preliminary costings.
Year 3
- Upscaled testing.
- Cost/financial analyses.
COLLABORATORS:
- Postharvest & processing scientists, agricultural engineers - MARDI.
- AIT; CIAT?
- Private processing/drying equip/manufacturer.
INTERESTED PARTIES:
- Cassava producers.
- Feed millers.
INTERACTIONS:
- Similar system will be applicable to sweet potato.
- In line with global cassava strategy?
- Import substitution.
- Competition.
FINANCING:
- Malaysian govt.
- Private feed millers?
- International donor?
COUNTRY: THAILAND
TITLE: TO DEVELOP MARKETS FOR CASSAVA PRODUCTS
GOAL: To encourage the demand of domestic and foreign consumption of cassava
OBJECTIVES:
- To create the diversification of suitable products for domestic uses.
- To create markets for cassava.
- To expand the utilization of cassava.
ACTIVITIES:
- Advertise the new products, for example with new recipes, food fairs, etc.
- Generate a number of suitable products, e.g. feeds for swine, cattle, fish, poultry,. etc.
- Develop modified starch to serve heavy industries, e.g. solvent for plastics, formic acid, lactic acid & other use in motor industry.
- Develop flour and starch to suit human consumption e.g. snacks, baby foods.
MANDATE INSTITUTIONS:
- Kasetsart University
- DOA
- DOAE
- Min. of commerce
- Private sectors and TTDI
AREA:
- Domestic markets
- Foreign markets
INTERACTION:
- Government agencies and NGO's activities include the new proposed project, e.g. Khong-Shee-Moon rivers project.
COUNTRY: VIET NAM
TITLE: INTEGRATING CASSAVA PRODUCTION BASED ON IMPROVEMENT OF SMALL SCALE PROCESSING IN THE SOUTH OF VIET NAM.
DURATION:
3 years
LOCATION:
- Cassava-growing areas (rural, far from big/concentrated processing plants).
PURPOSES:
- On-farm processing - value added.
- Farmer income generation.
- Socio-economic development in rural areas.
- Linkages between: Farmers, processors, traders, end-users, preharvest, postharvest, marketing system
BENEFICIARIES:
- Cassava farmers (new varieties, better prices)
- Cassava processors (reduced cost of processing, higher quality; raw material for large plants; new products)
- Agro - Industry development in rural areas, (labour, gender, on-farm animal feeding)
- National R&D capacity improvement.
INSTITUTION COMPONENTS:
- IAS, PHTI, Viet Nam cassava network
- CIAT, IFAD, ACIAR