Publication: The Cassava Value Chain in Mozambique
Date
2019-05
ISSN
Published
2019-05
Author(s)
Costa, Carlos
Delgado, Christopher
Abstract
Cassava is the principal starch in
Mozambique, at 30 percent of calories. It can be stored
unharvested up to 30 months, but fresh cassava lasts only 3
days once harvested. Most processing in Mozambique is
artisanal, to eliminate cyanogenic glycosides in the 90
percent of production from pest resistant bitter varieties.
Only 6 percent of production in 2011 was used commercially
for non-food, two-thirds for feed and one-third for starch.
Low levels of productivity for cassava compared to elsewhere
and poor transportation are the main barriers to the
development of a processing industry. Unit costs of
production range from USD 0.09 to USD 0.30 U.S. cents per
kg. Producers would need to achieve 15 tons/hectare to be
commercially viable, compared to average yields between 5
and 9 tons/hectare in Mozambique. Actions recommended
include: adoption of a "Master Plan ";
time-limited subsidies for industrial High Quality Cassava
Flour, ethanol, and starch; a network of service providers
to operate in smallholder areas to deliver improved inputs
and extension; promotion of farmers’ associations for better
access to service providers; research on pest control in
sweet varieties; greater availability of global market
intelligence; capacity-building for processing; and
introduction of legal norms to prevent processors from polluting.
Citation
“Costa, Carlos; Delgado, Christopher. 2019. The Cassava Value Chain in Mozambique. Jobs Working Paper;No. 31. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/31754 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”