How cassava can increase food security #tanzania

AS the World Food Day is just concluded, the Tanzania Food
and Nutrition Centre (TFCN) has published a cassava
recipes book in its bid to boost food security, incomes of
farmers and small-scale processors and increase
employment opportunities for large numbers of people in
rural and urban areas in East and Southern Africa countries.
This root crop, flourishing on various soil types including
arid land that is unpopular among many rural families in the
region unlike maize crop, the most popular staple food both
in the urban and rural populations, is by far more beneficial
than maize if the use of the recipes book is seriously taken
aboard.
The 42-page book with a total of 43 contents of which the
leading three, deal on high quality unfermented cassava
flour (HQCF), that is pure white, odorless, tasteless and can
substitute wheat flour in the bakery industries for making
bread, cakes or biscuits. It can be used on its own or
together with wheat flour.
And to maintain the properties and uses, the book says, the
HQCF must be made within a day after harvesting the
cassava roots. There are two techniques of making HQCF
that is including chipping and grating.
The TFNC Managing Director Mr Godwin D. Ndossi, says
the book brings a collection of popular tried-and-tested
recipes using cassava and cassava- based products from
all over Africa.
It is developed to create awareness on the diverse ways to
process and consume cassava and products derived from it,
hence creating markets and demand for the crop.
And the ultimate goal is to boost food security and incomes
of farmers and smallscale processors and increase
employment opportunities for large numbers of people both
in rural and urban areas.
The methods used to prepare and process cassava products
and foods are simple and easy to follow. Similarly, the
requirements and materials used are inexpensive and easily
available even in the rural areas of many African countries.
Says Mr Ndossi, at the end of some of the recipes, tips to
ensure that the final product is successful have been given.
Therefore, this cassava recipe book can be used by the
community without any assistance. He goes on saying that
the book is a result of the tireless efforts of various
individuals, sectors and institutions from Madagascar,
Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
The centre acknowledges the International Institute of
Tropical Agriculture (IITA), for providing expert advice in
developing, preparing and finally releasing the book.
Others are including the Sugar Research Institute (SRI),
Tanzania and the National Centre for Applied Research and
Development in Madagascar (FOFINA), the Zambian
Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) and the Pallisa
Agribusiness Training Association (PATA) in Uganda.
And finally, is the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) for
providing financial support for the preparation and printing
of the book through IIT.
Others on the list of contents are including making of bread,
cassava-soy bread, maandazi, madeira cake, biscuits,
queen cakes, orange drop cookies, doughnuts, chapatti,
short crust pastry, meat/fish pie (using cassava flour),
sausage rolls (using cassava flour), millet and cassava
meal, kabalagala, gari--making gari, soaked gari with sugar
and peanuts and soaked gari.
Making of eba, gari biscuits, cassava starch, making of
cassava starch, starch biscuits, recipes from fresh cassava
roots, yakayaka, cassava fritters, bagia, boiled cassava,
cassava pudding, pancake, cassava meat cake, cassava
egg, cassava pellets, manioc soup, jibijiby or
jebojebomahogo, fried cassava with coconut, banana
manioc, cassava leaves in coconut and measurements.
The editing team comprised of Mr Adebayo Abass, Mr
ElifatioTowo, Ms Hosana Ngonyani, Ms Jane Baseka, Mr
MalimiKitunda, Ms Mina Tsiriarijoa, Ms Mwanahamis
Msangi and Ms Wessy Meghji.
Cassava in Tanzania is an integral component of most
cropping systems and is among the more important staples
in many zones. It plays an important role as a food security
crop and provides useful opportunities for extending labour
use and exploiting price peaks in the food market.
The country realises the importance of cassava and has
given the second priority ranking in its national research.
The crop is ranked number one in three zones and second in
only two zones.
The National Root Crops Improvement Programme where
cassava falls has now set major priority objectives and
strategies for developing cassava but lacks resources for
executing them except for the collaborative activities done
with the external funding. Networking with various regional
and international networks contributes substantially in
support to cassava research.
The current cassava productivity is near the lower end of
internationally reported yields. Among major constraints are
prevalence of devastating pests/ diseases, shortage of
planting material; drought, poor soil fertility, use of varieties
with low genetic potential, and low adoption rates of
research recommendations.
Other key constraints include the low level of utilisation of
cassava and poor postharvest handling techniques of
cassava at farm level. There are a limited number of
convenient products from cassava which makes cassava
less competitive with other staples particularly in the urban
areas where there is an assured market.
Poor transportation makes market accessibility by cassava
growers difficult. Other market infrastructures including
credit facilities, presence of processing machines, etc. are
low compared to other countries in Africa.
Research interventions, their successes and limitations are
discussed in the report. Lessons learned and implications
for strategies are outlined.
Some proposed strategies to improve the efficiency of
cassava research and development include emphasis to be
given on the improvement of cassava genetic potential so
as to develop varieties with desirable acceptability, good
resistance to pests and diseases and high root yield.
This should go along with the strong commitment in
multiplication of clean healthy planting materials of the
released varieties and other potential local varieties.
This can be achieved only if support to research can be
increased both in terms of funds and human resources.
Facilities for rapid propagation could boost the efforts of
multiplication, improvement of cropping systems with
cassava especially in the area of low input costs in soil
fertility maintenance cannot be overemphasised.
Control of pests and diseases through use of integrated pest
management could serve as a low cost, environmentally
friendly approach towards minimising the problems at farm
level, the need for cassava food products which are
acceptable and ready to use is indicated.
Proposals are made for the market evaluation of such
products, with provision for food education and pilot scale
production if further development, is merited.
Integration of cassava as a raw material in the industrial
sector and livestock feed is yet to be investigated. Similarly
proposals have been made to improve the capability of the
extension service through a programme of training, staff
development and emphasis on client oriented research. A
very big potential for increased cassava production can
only be achieved if key issues identified are addressed at
national level.