Cassava
Cassava sequence unravelled
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the staple crop cassava, and say this should lead to the development of more virus-resistant and nutritious varieties. The draft genome, of a single cassava variety, has pinpointed about 95 per cent of the genes and could accelerate breeding programmes. The large roots of the cassava plant provide daily sustenance for more than 750 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America. But the crop is susceptible to many viruses and is not very nutritious. Steve Rounsley, associate professor at the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona, who coordinated the project, says the sequence will make goals such as developing virus resistance and increasing shelf life more attainable. A US$1.3-million follow-up project, funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will sequence other cassava varieties and develop a freely available database comparing the sequences. The University of Arizona will lead the project which will involve international collaboration, including some African partners. (Source: Scidev.net, 23 November 2009)
8/12/2009
Cassava "accident" brings tolerance hope
When a consignment of carotene-rich cassava roots was packaged and sent for bioavailability tests, there was the usual, hopeful wait for results. Ten months later and those results, soon to be officially announced, suggest that the carotene contained in yellow-flesh of the so-called "egg yolk" cassava has good bioavailability, meaning it can be easily absorbed by humans, and converted into the essential micronutrient vitamin A. This in itself is good news for CIAT and researchers working as part of the CGIAR-wide HarvestPlus program. But the story doesn't end there. In an interesting twist, a handful of surplus roots that were omitted from the consignment and left in a store room were discovered by a researcher 2 months later—in pristine condition. Cassava roots normally degrade naturally within just 2-to-3 days, due to post-harvest physiological deterioration (PPD), which leaves them unusable either as food or by industry. Realizing the potential importance of the discovery, the researcher quickly raised the alarm. Despite the excitement, Ceballos and his team are proceeding with caution, and have set up a series of experiments to assess the deterioration of carotenoid-rich roots over periods of up to 40 days. They are also keen to establish whether the supposedly PPD-tolerant roots were affected in some way by a growing season that saw unusual levels of rainfall, and the possible influence of the roots' lower-than-usual dry matter content, which can reduce the rate of PPD. (Source: CIAT, September 2009)
20/11/2009
Investing in cassava research and development could boost yields and industrial uses
The tropical root crop cassava could help protect the food and energy security of poor countries now threatened by soaring food and oil prices, FAO said today. At a global conference held in Gent, Belgium, cassava scientists called for a significant increase in investment in research and development needed to boost farmers’ yields and explore promising industrial uses of cassava, including production of biofuels. Widely grown in tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America, cassava is the developing world’s fourth most important crop, with production in 2006 estimated at 226 million tonnes. Cassava is also the cheapest known source of starch, and used in more than 300 industrial products (Source: FAO, 25 July 2008).
8/09/2008
Equipment for cassava processing plants
Agromachine Importacao e exportacoa ltda in Brazil is a global provider of machines, solutions and services for agriculture. The company's services are focused primarily within the coffee, rice, cassava, maize and tropical products industry and specialize in providing processing equipments to customers globally. The company has developed excellent equipment for cassava processing plants.
30/10/2007
PRAJ Industries - Leading source for technology, plant and equipment for alcohol, fuel ethanol and beer production
This website is of an Indian based industry (Pune, Bangalore, Delhi) with international locations in Colombia, UAE, Thailand and SA producing alcohol, fuel ethanol and beer for sugar and (cassava) starch. HIFERM for sugar bearing substratesInput characteristics like fermentable sugars in substrate, pH, caramel and volatile acid content influence performance of an alcohol plant and the resultant wastewater volumes. Our process engineering team considers all these variables while designing and engineering plants, equipment and systems for fermentation. This results into a rugged plant ensuring reliable and consistent operation. HIFERM for starch bearing substratesOur experience covers a wide spectrum of starch-based raw materials like rice, wheat, sorghum, corn, bajra, cereals and tubers like cassava/ tapioca, etc.
3/04/2006
Application of cassava in fermented products
Cassava Alcohol Cassava is one of the richest fermentable substances for the production of alcohol. The fresh roots contain about 30 percent starch and 5 percent sugars, and the dried roots contain about 80 percent fermentable substances which are equivalent to rice as a source of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is produced from many carbohydrate materials. http://www.foodmarketexchange.com/profile/cp_index.htm The data center is part of Foodmarket Exchange.com, the first e-foodmarket in Southeast Asia.Biz Dimension Co., Ltd. is the leading service provider of e-procurement and e-auction in Thailand.
3/04/2006
Caribbean: Non-food uses of cassava
At this Caribbean web site which is mainly about food and cooking one will also find a quite extensive explanation of all kind of non-food uses of cassava. The following are some of the major uses of dextrins in nonfood industries: Corrugated cardboard manufacture; remoistening gums; Wallpaper and other home uses; Foundry; Well drilling; Paper industry; Textile industry; Wood furniture; Fermented products.
3/04/2006
Africa: Manual machine reduces labor input in processing high quality cassava chips. Cassava processing technologies for farmers in Tanzania
In the Lake Zone of Tanzania, cassava is mainly consumed in two forms; udaga, a dried product made from heap-fermented roots; and makopa, dried whole roots. These are processed into flour and consumed as a stiff porridge (ugali) in both rural and urban areas. These traditional products have the advantage that they can be produced relatively cheaply using little equipment. However, the two major drawbacks associated with them are that: (i) the flour is not of a high enough quality for use in other food products (e.g., bakery products) and (ii) the methods used are labor intensive. It has been suggested (Kapinga et al. 1998) that the few methods currently available for processing roots and tubers limit these crops from reaching their full potential as a source of both food and income. Development and introduction of new processing technologies offers the potential to improve access to markets for cassava producers thereby increasing their incomes. [….] The initial technological interventions of the project have included promotion of improved drying techniques and piloting of a hand-driven chipping machine. The small cassava chips produced by the manual machine dry quickly, are of high quality, and reduce the labor input involved in processing. Release date: March 2002Source: Ph Action News - The Newsletter of the global Post-harvest Forum No. 5
3/04/2006
Africa: Sustainable uptake of cassava as an industrial commodity in Ghana
The project Portfolio of CPHP online provides an overview of projects undertaken or being undertaken. Below a project summary is given of a two year project on market opportunities of cassava in Ghana from the beginning of 2003 to the end of 2004. Cassava is a key crop in Ghana, and is important to low-income farmers (including many women). Cassava surpluses increased from 2 to 3.5 million metric tonnes between 1995 and 2001. Needs assessment studies have highlighted farmers concerns to expand market opportunities for cassava. Market opportunities (food, paperboard, plywood, textiles, industrial alcohol) exist in Ghana that would enable cassava to contribute significantly to poor people’s livelihoods. This project seeks to improve rural livelihoods, through industrialisation of cassava, via the establishment of an integrated supply chain to provide manufacturers with an assured supply of consistent quality cassava products at a competitive price.
3/04/2006
Africa: Optimization of industrial trial: the use of cassava flour as extender in plywood adhesive mix for plywood manufacture
Plywood mills in Ghana use wheat flour as extender in the adhesive mix for plywood production. Wheat as a commodity cannot be grown in Ghana and is therefore imported. Its market price keeps soaring-up because it has competing uses. It is being used in Ghana as a food source particularly for bread and pastries making in addition to its use as extender in plywood mills. The aim of this work was to substitute cassava flour, a local material for imported wheat flour as extender in adhesive mix for plywood manufacture. The previous laboratory trial of the adhesive mixture indicated that cassava could be used as a substitute for wheat flour. It became necessary to give it an industrial trial. Consequently five mills were selected for such a trial. The results showed that four out of the mills management were eager to use cassava flour as a substitute for the wheat flour. Authors: Sekyere, D., J. DeGraft-Yartey, N.S.A. Derkyi, N.A. DarkwaRelease date: March 2004
3/04/2006
Cassava and the future of starch
This article describes the production possibilities of cassava: as an important food source, as an industrial base and it describes the future of cassava production. AbstractThe nutritive reserves of cassava is made up of starch, which is one of the most important products synthesized by plants that is consumed as food and used in industrial processes. The currently increasing cassava production will lead to higher amount of starch available making it cheaper for industrial processes, and opening up new markets. There is also abundant capacity in many tropical countries such as Nigeria to increase cassava production. Author: Nyerhovwo John Tonukari Release date: April 2004Source: Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, vol. 7, no.1.
3/04/2006
Constraints and opportunities for small and medium scale processing of cassava in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions of Ghana
ICRA Document Series number: 117 presents the outcomes of a field study in Ghana in 2004Background, objectives and output Background: The study assessed the current and potential market for cassava products from small and medium scale processors in Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions, and developed recommendations for improving small to medium scale cassava processing. The objectives were to identify and analyse the opportunities for processing cassava for industrial use, to identify and analyse the factors affecting the operations of small to medium scale processing units and to propose strategies and ways of increasing the profitability of such units, to formulate proposals for developing a viable processing of cassava for industrial use at medium and large scale. Output: The study focused on establishing the potential for producing marketable flour for industrial and food use, starch for industrial use, and gari for food from cassava by small and medium scale processors, and the possibility for realizing this in Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions. Emphasis was put on understanding of constraints limiting production and supply of both raw cassava material and processed products, and opportunities available for uplifting small and medium scale cassava processing to a level that would make it a viable enterprise.
3/04/2006
A cassava industrial revolution in Nigeria: The potential for a new industrial
In Africa, cassava is gradually being transformed from a famine-reserve commodity and rural food staple to a cash crop for urban consumption. For the cassava transformation to advance to the next stage of livestock feed and industrial raw material, labour-saving production, harvesting and processing technologies are needed to reduce costs, improve productivity and make cassava more competitive. Yet the transformation will not continue unless new uses and new markets are identified to absorb the increase in production. Nigeria is the world’s largest cassava producer; its cassava transformation is the most advanced in Africa. However, the scope for increasing the use of cassava in Nigeria’s industries is, to a large extent, determined by the development of an efficient and well-integrated production and marketing system, to assure a steady supply of cassava products of stable, high quality standards and appropriate price, and of specific properties required by domestic industries and export markets. Thus, public and private investments in research and development required to develop cassava products for industrial uses, if well targeted, could offer good returns and prospects for the future of cassava in Nigeria. The belief that a growing demand for cassava will spur rural industrial development and contribute to the economic development of producing, processing and trading communities and well-being of numerous disadvantaged people in the world, has prompted the development of the Global Cassava Development Strategy. Authors: Truman P. Phillips and Daphne S. Taylor; Lateef Sanni; Malachy O. Akoroda Release date: 2004Source: International Fund For Agricultural Development, Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations
3/04/2006
Africa: Cassava initiatives in Nigeria
Nigeria grows more cassava than any other country in the World. Its production is currently put at about 34 million metric tons a year Total area harvested of the crop in 2003 was 3,1 million hectares with an average yield or about 11 tons per hectare The production of cassava is concentrated in the hands or numerous small holder farmers located mostly in the south and central regions of Nigeria The market of cassava can be divided into two categories, the traditional food-oriented market and the new emerging market for industrially processed cassava. The vast majority or the cassava grow in Nigeria is processed and sold through traditional market channels which are fairly well known. It is the industrial market that needs to be developed. In 2002, cassava suddenly gained national prominence following the pronouncement of a Presidential Initiative. The intent of the Initiative was to use cassava as the engine of growth in Nigeria. To put Nigeria in the global context for competition the country needs to upgrade the use of cassava into primary industries such as starch, ethanol, chips and flour in order to provide an industrial base for further diversification of its national economy. Cassava can be used to improve rural and urban income and development in Nigeria if investments in the downstream sector or the industry are made more effective. This report provides an overview of all known cassava initiatives in Nigeria to date. Release date: June 2005
3/04/2006
The Recent Cassava Surge in Zambia and Malawi: Conference Paper No. 11-b
This paper was the11th document out of more than 300 hits when typing in cassava under the search button at IFPRI’s web site. It compares the cassava production and marketing of Zambia and Malawi. Many more relevant documents can be found in IFPRI’s data base. Authors: Steven Haggblade and Ballard Zulu Release date: 2004Source: Paper presented at the NEPAD/IGAD regional conference 'Agricultural Successes in the Greater Horn of Africa' Nairobi, November 22-25, 2004
3/04/2006
Cassavanet - interactive portal for knowledge concerning cassava
The DonaldDanforthPlantScienceCenter has created this internet site to act as a central source of information for this staple food crop. The goal is to provide an interactive portal for knowledge concerning cassava, thereby improving access and links to information which can increase understanding of the crop. The ultimate aim is that facilitating access and exchange of information will contribute to the well-being of cassava farmers throughout the tropics. The website is in the process of construction. Soon it will contain information about the worldwide cultivation of cassava and about active research on improvements of the crop. In this way, the hope is to fulfill two major goals. To inform the general public, especially those in the industrialized countries, as to the importance of cassava in world agriculture and its role in present and future food security. To act as a resource for cassava researchers worldwide, through the use of links to primary resources, from original contributions to the website by acknowledged specialists as well as a forum for discussion on the application of modern scientific methods toward the improvement of cassava As cassava is the first food crop in Africa - an orphan crop of great importance for subsistence farmers and with unrealized potential for industrial exploitation. ILTAB (International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology) chose cassava as a core research activity at its establishment in 1991. Research projects have also been initiated on yam, sweet potato, cotton, sugarcane, and a number of other tropical and sub-tropical crop species, contributing to the wide range of experience within ILTAB.
3/04/2006
Publications on root and tuber crops at NRI - The Natural Resources Institute
Tropical root and tuber crops (cassava, sweet potato, yam and cocoyam) are both important household food security and income generating crops in many developing countries. The Natural Resources Institute (NRI)has one of the world's leading research centres working on the post-harvest aspects of these commodities. The NRI provides an on author alphabetically-ordered list of rather recent (>1994) publications on root and tuber crops, among which cassava.
3/04/2006
IFPRI - International Food Policy Research Institute
IFPRI's mission is to provide policy solutions that cut hunger and malnutrition. This mission flows from the CGIAR mission: "To achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty in developing countries through scientific research and research-related activities in the fields of agriculture, livestock, forestry, fisheries, policy, and natural resources management." IFPRI’s datasets and publications offer a useful source of information on a variety of crops, including cassava.
3/04/2006
Cassava - the product, the production process, and post harvest. IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
IITA’s website has a special page dealing with cassava providing general information on the product and the cassava production process. It further explains IITA’ work on cassava. IITA has played a leading role in the development of improved cassava varieties which are disease and pest resistant, low in cyanide content, drought resistant, early maturing, and high yielding. In the area of postharvest, IITA's scientists have been developing effective and simple machines and tools which reduce processing time and labor, as well as production losses. With these machines losses can be reduced by 50% and labor by 75%. During the past three decades IITA has trained more than 9000 researchers and technicians in Africa. For example, training in processing and utilization of high quality cassava flour has been carried out in 10 African countries. As a result, the private sectors in Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda have begun using high quality cassava flour as a raw material for processing into secondary products such as biscuits and noodles. IITA has a publications catalogue site where one will find publications on cassava under root and tuber crops. For example: "The contribution of IITA-improved cassava to food security in sub-Saharan Africa: an impact study" ( read the study) which describes the impact of IITA’s work, by looking at the spread of improved cassava varieties, their use in national breeding programs, and the ultimate benefits of this work on food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty countries were surveyed, which together account for over 90% of cassava production in sub-Saharan Africa.
3/04/2006
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