Lucrative Opportunities to Invest in Cassava Processing Business

Cassava Adding Value for Africa project (CAVA II) is implemented by the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center.  The project’s overall objective is to provide sustainable income generating through farming investment to smallholder cassava farmers to supply cassava roots through the processing industries to created market opportunities. CAVA II works to contribute to increased productivity of cassava crop to most of Smallholder farmers.

CAVA II achieves this by providing objective research, making strategic technological improvements; linking suppliers with markets; and encouraging efficient and sustainable investments from cassava producers, processors and end users of cassava value added raw material. Diverse markets for cassava raw material exist.  CAVA II is promoting establishment and development of cassava value chain for High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) in biscuits, bakery and home consumption; and livestock chain in fish and poultry feed.

Project activities are implemented in the major cassava growing zones; the Southern, Eastern and Lake zone capitalizing on the favorable agro-ecological conditions for cassava cultivation in these geographies. Five regions are participating in the project:  Mtwara, Pwani, Mara, Mwanza and Kagera.

There is a growing demand of high quality cassava flour (HQCF) for home consumption as well as for industrial use. Currently HQCF is being produced during dry seasons by Community Processing Groups and a few Small Scale Processors; of which, they do not satisfy the HQCF market demand.  

CAVA II promotes artificial drying technology that will guarantee availability of HQCF during both wet and dry seasons.  This technology is called flash drying.  Flash drier produces excellent HQCF with a through put of 330kg/hr at a fuel cost of $29/ton.

 The project calls for potential investors to take up the opportunity of investing in HQCF processing business.   The project will provide technical assistance on establishing a new processing plant as well as technical support at initial set up and facilitated linkage to raw material supply and markets.  The project also partner with regulatory agencies mandated by the government to carry out inspection for and certification of cassava products.