For many farming communities in Africa, Cassava is a way of life. 5 out of the world’s top 10 producers of fresh cassava are in Africa. However, even though African Cassava is consumed far and wide, no African country is included in the top 5 countries with the most share in cassava export value.
This shows that Africa can do more to increase the value chain of this versatile and climate-resilient crop. It can be eaten whole, grated, ground into cassava flour, or made into starch that can be used for various products.
Nigeria and DR Congo are number 1 and 3, respectively, on the top producers’ lists, and they both have the potential to leverage regional trade policies to make West Africa a powerhouse for this crop and all of the value present in its exploration.
Let’s take some minutes to understand how much potential this crop offers the African continent.
READ THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO IMPORTING COCOA FROM NIGERIA
Why Africa Must Rethink Cassava
Farmers and farming communities are at the heart of Africa’s Cassava production. Smallholder farmers grow, harvest, and process cassava for local consumption.
Yet, a significant portion of the harvest is underutilised.
Due to the crop’s perishable nature, it is either wasted or processed using traditional methods that limit its value. Industrial applications like the production of ethanol, sorbitol, and biofuels are often underexplored.
Africa’s enormous cassava production has not translated into a proportionate share of the global trade value. There are many reasons why this happens. To rethink Cassava, we need to evaluate these reasons. Maybe then, we can imagine the gap between where Africa is and where it should be.
To rethink Cassava, what can Africa do better?
- Increased Value Addition: Most of the Cassava grown in Africa is left for local consumption. Focusing on traditional consumption (Garri and Fufu) and low-tech processing methods leaves tremendous economic potential untapped. There is a need to explore more processing to get more value from this crop.
- Infrastructure and Investment Gaps: To Improve the value chain of Cassava, there is a need to invest in farming communities. However, this investment isn’t limited to funding. There are knowledge gaps regarding seeds, planting techniques, and processing technology that can help them further maximise their processes.
- Public-Private-Producer Partnerships (The 4Ps): To further expand the value chain of Africa’s Cassava, we need to build stronger links between farmers, processors, and markets. Government and private sector collaborations to establish favourable policies, improve market linkages, and incentivize value-added processing are urgently needed.
With these three steps, we would create jobs, increase food security and bolster economic resilience across Africa.
The Promise of African Cassava Value Chain Expansion
Expanding Africa’s cassava value chain involves diversifying products and modernising processing techniques. While Africa still has a long way to go, many inspiring initiatives align towards exploring Africa’s Cassava value chain.
Let’s spotlight two of them;
- The Nigerian Value Chain Development Program: This transformative initiative by the Nigerian government, supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, enhances the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of smallholder farmers in the rice and Cassava value chains.
Although similar initiatives exist across Africa, more is needed. Agriculture plays a crucial role, and it is necessary to look at it holistically as a means of foreign exchange. With the right strategies and collaboration across boards, Cassava (and other similar agro commodities) could be crucial in boosting African economies.
- Yemisi Iranloye and Psaltry International: Also known as the “Queen of Cassava,” Yemisi Iranloye, the CEO of Psaltry International, is someone we can all learn from. She produces over 10,000 tons per annum and engages about the same number of farmers across South West Nigeria. She established processing facilities that produce food-grade starch and cassava flour and even pioneered cassava-based sorbitol production.
Matta’s Role in Exploring African Cassava Value Chain
At Matta, we do more than run a marketplace or build practical solutions for African manufacturers. We connect farmers, processors, aggregators, importers, and other key stakeholders across Africa. And more than that, we support everyone across the value chain, promoting knowledge exchange, investment, and sustainable growth.
Rounding up: The Opportunity for African Cassava
Before we go, let’s look at some statistics to remind us of Africa’s potential for cassava processing.
Cassava’s versatility rivals petroleum. Beyond Garri and fufu, its other derivatives include:
1. Industrial starch: Used in adhesives, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. The global industrial starch market was valued at USD 124.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2025 to 2030.
2. Ethanol: Nigeria’s biofuel policy involves blending 10% fuel ethanol with gasoline. This is one of the many reasons we need to produce more ethanol across Africa.
3. Gluten-free flour: The global gluten-free products market size was estimated at USD 6.45 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% from 2023 to 2030. This is due to a rising awareness and subsequent demand for gluten-free products.
4. Animal feed: As of October 2023, Thailand Exported about 4.27 million metric tons of Cassava Chips, most of which went to China.
With African Cassava being one of the dominant in the world, the challenge is to move beyond traditional uses and unlock the full economic potential of this resilient crop.
Africa can transform cassava from a subsistence staple into a cornerstone of industrial growth and sustainable development by modernising processing, expanding product diversity, and fostering collaboration among farmers, processors, and policymakers.
