Transgenic cassava armed with twin illness resistance

Long a food staple in Africa, the common-or-garden cassava may be poised to develop even more vital as other crops resembling maize (corn) wither within the heat and drought of a warming climate. But agricultural scientists know that the hardy tuber has an Achilles Heel - disease - that might curb its future potential.

With that risk in thoughts, researchers on the Swiss Federal Institute of Expertise (ETH) in Zurich this week report the event of a brand new transgenic cassava variety that's immune to a pair of viral illnesses which might be common in several parts of Africa. Revealed on 25 September in PLoS One, the work is a part of a broader effort by the ETH and different institutions to work with native scientists and farmers and then develop disease-resistant strains in addition to experience inside African labs.

“If we need to get this moving into Africa, we need to have native folks on the bottom occupied with deploying this expertise,” says Herve Vanderschuren, lead writer on the research and head of a cassava analysis staff at the ETH. In parallel with the his work on illness resistant crops, Vanderschuren has labored with researchers Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa to develop a course of that permits for this work to be undertaken locally.

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Nigeria to earn $136m from cassava subsequent 12 months

To create worth within the cassava trade, Nigeria, the largest producer of cassava in the world would be exporting a complete of1.1 million metric tons of cassava chips within the next 12 months.

This may earn Nigeria about $136 million.

To capitalize on new opportunities to make use of cassava for modified starch to substitute imported corn starch, Nigeria may even be producing 280,000 metric tons of native modified cassava starch by 2015.

“We are also profiting from the rising demand for dried cassava chips in China and few days in the past, our first shipment of cassava left the shores of Nigeria to China”.

Dr Akinwunmi Ayo Adesina, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Growth of Nigeria, stated these on the Regional Creating Shared Value (CSV) Discussion board right here in Lagos, Nigeria, in a speech read for him.

He stated Nigeria had succeeded in attracting a non-public investor, who could be investing six billion dollars in organising ethanol crops to use cassava and sugar cane as raw supplies to provide high fructose syrup that would replace a major share of the imported sugar utilized by smooth drink and juice industry.

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Co-op turns cassava farming into lucrative undertaking

From cassava to cash, That is the noble purpose of a rising multi-purpose cooperative right here as it seeks to improve productivity of its members who're mostly cassava farmers.

Cassava is likely one in all the main plants that thrive effectively in this town, however farmers don't earn a lot as it's highly perishable and postharvest losses were very high.

 Merchants also come into play, which often purchase farmers produce into less expensive value leaving farmers brief modification with their profit.

“The San Jose Multi-objective Cooperative (SJMPC) used to be organized to handle the necessity for better pricing and on the identical time works for equivalent good thing about cassava farmers,” mentioned SJMPC supervisor Abraham Oso.

 “The cooperative offers quite a few advantages to cassava farmers. Except for providing them access to financing, they can have patronage refund and annually dividend,” Oso said.

The rising demand for cassava in feed method offered wider opportunities to farmers as private processors provided three way partnership for the cooperative to supply them with merchandise for animal feeds.

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Cassava bread and diabetes

Obtainable evidence doesn't help the faulty belief that cassava bread just isn't wholesome for consumption. Some folks have even linked cassava bread with diabetes. This clarification turns into essential against the backdrop of the purported rejection by the House of Representatives of a bill in search of to mandate bakers to make cassava flour part of the components for making bread. I was wondering why the Home would take such choice, realizing that Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava, added with the truth that the produce, which has the potential to earn thousands of Nigerians significant earnings, is not totally exploited.

Diabetes is a worldwide illness and, at current, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has substantial information on it. It's noteworthy that Nigeria will not be one of the international locations with high prevalence, and never even among the prime ten nations that can document excessive prevalence by 2030, according to a research report performed by Sarah Wild, Gojka Rojlic, et al (2004), which was administered on WHO member countries. India, China, USA, Indonesia, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Japan, Philippines and Egypt are nations that, by 2030, can have between 7 million and 79 million people diagnosed as having diabetes. Coincidentally, these nations are the main wheat producers within the world.

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Cassava: The Rambo of Meals Crops

Fact sheet
Common Names: Yuca, Tapioca, Manioc
Species              : Manihot esculenta Crantz
Syn                    : M. ultissima Phol
Syn                    : M. aipi Phol
Family               :  Euphorbiaceae

Cassava is not really a “forgotten crop” in many parts of Africa, but because of the threat of climate change having a major impact on traditional crops - especially in the SADC region - we will discuss it here.

In our region, many farmers still prefer to plant maize, millet and sorghum – all of which stand to suffer if the region becomes more drought-prone and more arid in the years to come.

The reason is simple: Cassava offers climate change hope for Africa.

Uses

Cassava is grown for its enlarged starch-filled roots, which contain nearly the maximum theoretical concentration of starch on a dry weight basis among food crops.

Fresh roots contain about 30 percent starch and very little protein. Roots are prepared much like potato. They can be peeled and boiled, baked, or fried.

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New cassava pest seems for first time in Viet Nam

The cassava pink mealybug, an invasive pest species that can kill cassava vegetation by consuming the sap, has appeared for the primary time in Viet Nam within the south-japanese province of Tay Ninh, one of the nation's leading producers of the tuberous root.

The insect, which has appeared in lots of nations including in Southeast Asia, can spread quickly to other locations via the transport of contaminated cassava stem cuttings for planting, and can also be carried by wind, water, animals, human beings, instruments, and vehicles.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Tuesday instructed Tay Ninh and the Plant Protection Department to hold out prevention and control measures towards the pest.

The measures embody a survey of affected areas by local authorities, studies to the provincial administration and the division, and destruction of all contaminated crops beneath the latter's supervision.

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Cassava key to meals security, say scientists

An alliance of scientists has been formed to assist promote cassava, which has emerged as a “survivor” crop in a position to thrive within the expected larger temperatures engendered by climate change, a scientific convention in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, heard.

Some 300 scientists attending the second Worldwide Scientific Conference of the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP-21-II) announced the alliance, named the International Cassava Modelling Consortium, which will provide a platform to world cassava researchers to share analysis information, better perceive the physiology of the plant, and discover avenues for shielding it from assaults now that it has even larger significance for the food safety of many regions within the world.

The new consortium will initially set up a loose network of scientists sharing and analysing current cassava research and historical analysis data. As it grows, the network will embrace the sharing of experiences with cassava farmers across the Tropics, with farms being handled as experimental stations in their very own right.

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Govt targets $136m income from cassava export to China

NIGERIA’s economic diversification power might inch towards realisation soon, with plan through Federal Authorities to export a million tonnes of cassava chips to China, starting from this month.

The export enterprise is expected to bouy the country’s earnings by means of $136 million (N22 billion).

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Growth, Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina made this disclosure in Umuahia, Abia State, on Wednesday, throughout the inauguration of the Growth Enhancement Help (GES) scheme, a crucial element of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

The scheme was once scripted as an innovative method to fertiliser subsidy management by method of an electronic device, which guarantees that solely registered farmers’ benefit.

“Nigeria will earn $136 million simply this yr on account of this exportation and this is taking place for the primary time in our history”, Adeshina said.

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Bakers call for waivers on enzymes critical for cassava bread production

Nigerian corporate bakers, who have commenced production of cassava bread, have called on the federal government to give them import duty waiver on enzymes (magic solutions) in high quality cassava flour recipes, which they claim are imported at high costs, brought about by high freighting costs, BusinessDay can reveal. 

Without these enzymes, cassava bread manufacturing will fail since high quality cassava flour does not contain gluten, a vital component for bread baking. These enzymes are not available in Nigeria.

The CEOs of UTC Nigeria Plc, Folusho Olaniyan and Food Concepts, Deji Akinyanju, bakers of UTC Bread and Butterfield Bread, revealed this fact at the launch of the commerciacialised high quality cassava-based bread held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Saturday.

According to Olaniyan: “Our magic solutions (enzymes) in the high quality cassava flour recipes, have come to us at relatively high costs due to high freighting costs. They are a necessity for success because of the absence of gluten in high quality cassava flour. We solicit for the Federal Government’s support in getting waivers on the import duty for bakery equipment and enzymes pending the time enzymes can be locally manufactured. We also appeal to the Federal Government to support us with a marketing campaign which we, the stakeholders, will actively participate in formulating in order to achieve maximum results.”

Akinyanju said, “We require a waiver on duty for both the equipment and enzymes that we need to import from abroad. With minimal grants to fund additional equipment we will be able to automate our processes which will increase our efficiencies and capacity to deliver to feeding programmes nation wide.”

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Nigeria's cassava conundrum

Keen to advertise self-sufficiency, Nigeria's government needs to clamp down on rice and wheat imports and promote the usage of cassava. The plan appears sound, however farmers stay sceptical.

Every day, on the outskirts of Abuja, Nourou Salisu produces practically 10,000 loaves of bread in his conventional clay ovens. Nigeria's buzzing capital offers a prepared-made market for his output, however that may very well be about to change following the federal government's announcement of insurance policies designed to wean one fifth of Africa's inhabitants off its dependency to wheat.

Africa's most populous nation, once seen as the regional breakbasket, wants to curb persistent dependence on overseas meals by clamping down on rice and wheat imports and introducing a raft of monetary incentives ahead of subsequent yr's budget. The intention is to kick the sluggish agriculture sector into life.

Salisu, nonetheless, is sceptically in regards to the plans, even when they are aimed toward lifting millions like himself out of starvation and poverty. "No one will chop [eat] cassava bread. The cassava starch won't permit the bread be tender," he said, when instructed of insurance policies that can compel bakeries to start substituting wheat flour for cassava flour.

"We do not have the science [technology] to grind the cassava, to make the bread soft. Our customers won't purchase it and it will spoil," he added, gesturing in the direction of the handfuls of luggage of flour stored within the sweltering bakery.

Final month, President Goodluck Jonathan - eager to persuade his people to patronise locally-grown merchandise -publicly shared a loaf of unsweetened cassava bread together with his vice-president and ministers. Nonetheless, his try and open an inside marketplace for the world's largest cassava grower isn't new; virtually a decade ago, former head of state Olusegun Obasanjo tried and didn't pressure bakers to use no less than 10% of the tuber in breadmaking.

Billed as a central a part of the brand new administration's "transformation" agenda - a sign of how badly Nigeria's agriculture sector wants fixing - proposals in a preliminary finances to slash a $68bn import bill embrace a 100% levy on rice and wheat imports subsequent year. Wheat prices the federal government a staggering $3.9bn annually, while Nigeria is the world's largest rice importer - at a cost of $6.25m a day - though its local weather is ideal for rice growing.

Cassava is being touted as a possible source of food self-sufficiency for Nigeria. By banning its import from next yr, and providing tax rebates for millers who use a minimum of 40% of cassava flour in breadmaking, the federal government hopes to encourage manufacturing and spur businesses to purchase it.

With the continent still reeling from meals riots over the previous two years, agriculture and water resources minster Akin Adesina believes these policies might spark the sort of "green revolution" which has largely bypassed Africa.

"We have now a situation the place we are coping with large numbers of unemployed people and high ranges of poverty, and these are the priorities of the federal government," he said. "We must create jobs regionally through import substitution."

In accordance with the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, Africa has greater than doubled cereal imports over the past three decades, a trend some countries have begun making an attempt to reverse by proactive policies. In Uganda, for example, rice output more than doubled in the area of 4 years after a seventy five% tax was imposed on imports. The responsibility additionally spurred the development of latest mills, lowering the value of domestically refined rice. Malawi, meanwhile, one in every of Africa's poorest countries, reversed its meals deficit in simply two years via a targeted subsidy programme that helped finance fertiliser for farmers.

Brushing off criticisms of protectionism amid a global downturn, Adesina argued Nigeria could follow go well with: "Each nation on the earth protects its markets and farmers. Nigeria's farming population is made up of more than 70% of smallholder farmers. Our policies are directed at creating new market alternatives for them."

Plans are underway to duplicate a 2009 authorities-funded scheme that resulted in maize yields rising from 1.5 tons to 4.2 tons per hectare in taking part farms. But experts say a scarcity of funding will make it troublesome to produce 2.5 million metric tons of rice - enough to feed the nation and go away an extra of 500,000 tons - by 2015.

Nigeria was once a net food exporter, but poor infrastructure, lack of finance and misguided policies meant agriculture was progressively shunted aside as the main target shifted to oil. However the nation's vast oilfields have enriched solely a tiny minority, leaving many of the country's a hundred and fifty million farmers poor and hungry.

Past form has left many doubtful that the federal government has the potential or political will to implement effective change. "The problem we have now is that a few of the financial institutions and a lot of the infrastructure is weak," mentioned Kamar Hamza, a Nigeria-based financial consultant. "On paper, the insurance policies are very good. But in relation to implementation, we've a parasitic civil service whose primary curiosity is earning money from government policies. They will easily hijack the plan."

Another issue is the federal government's monetary commitment to agriculture. It has only allotted 2% of the price range (around $500m) to agriculture, making it considered one of eight nations that have didn't assign a minimum of 10% of annual price range to agriculture, as agreed below the phrases of the Complete Africa Agricultural Development Programme adopted on the African Union summit in Maputo in 2003.

A string of failed agricultural insurance policies has bred skepticism among farmers. Many complain that micro credit funds allotted to them routinely disappear into the nation's labyrinthine political system. "And anyway, there are no roads. There is a fuel shortage. Are we to hold all the pieces we develop on our backs to market?" muses Sunday Alachi, a subsistence cassava farmer.

His fears maybe echo these holding again potential private-sector buyers, who're needed if government insurance policies are to bear fruit.

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IPB College Studentt Production "Mo Mie" from Cassava

JAKARTA - Students Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) re-discover innovations of modern food products ready-named "Mo Mie".

These foods are also meant to ensure diversification. What is Mo Mie ? Mo Mie is the "instant noodles" are made from raw cassava starch modified or Modified Cassava Flour (MOCAF) and Tempe flour. Tempe or Tempeh is a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process.

Selection of cassava as raw material Mo Mie is quite reasonable. Given the cassava crop is one of considerable potential in Indonesia as a source of carbohydrate, whose production is not optimal because it is still considered less economical.

Meanwhile, the addition of “Tempe flour” as a food source of protein, because protein content in the noodles is considered quite low.

Therefore, Mo Noodles has several advantages compared with other instant noodles, which is due to high protein content and safe to eat.

There are three types of products "Mo Mie" offered by the "dry Mo Mie”, Mo Mie Spaghetti, and Mo Mie Sozzilatos.

As is known, instant noodles commonly consumed by people are usually made from raw wheat flour. The use of wheat flour in Indonesia is quite high in the manufacture of instant noodles. It was proven that Indonesia as a country both the consumption of instant noodles per year based on the world's largest wheat. Whereas in Indonesia wheat flour is obtained by importing from abroad.

"It is therefore necessary to develop a cassava-based new food products to enhance the economic value of cassava as an alternative substitute for flour and food diversification efforts," said Nur Hasanah Laeli, students of the Department of Community Nutrition Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA) IPB, which conducted the study “Mo Mie, in Jakarta.

Laeli along with four colleagues said, that a food product should pay attention to food safety aspects.

One is the use of food preservatives should be in accordance with the recommended standard of government. Therefore, instant noodles their research results free of preservatives are dangerous because in the manufacturing process does not use harmful chemicals.

"Looking from the aspect of nutrient content and secure, instant noodles really support the food needs of the world community," said Megawati Simanjuntak, Supervisor of this research.

Laeli further explained, MOCAF is a product derived from cassava to cassava by fermentation modification principles. MOCAF contribute little protein so the protein source material needed to boost the protein content in the noodles.

One good source of protein and enough potential in Indonesia is Tempe, because Tempe is able to compete with animal protein in terms of quality, quantity and price. Additionally, Tempe is rich in amino acid lysine. Therefore, the addition of Tempe flour as a protein source is expected to improve the nutritional value MOCAF-flour noodle mixture.

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Mortgaging of cassava to begin quickly

The government next month will start a loan programme for 15 million tonnes of cassava at costs among 2.70 and 3.00 baht a kilogramme.

Deputy Commerce Minister Poom Sarapol mentioned the programme may begin on Nov 15 and run for 6 months with tiered prices ranging from 2.70 baht a kg in November. The worth will increase via 5 satang each month for cassava roots with 25% starch content.

The current value of contemporary cassava roots is between 2.20 and 2.30 baht a kilogramme.

The ministry in advance anticipated a funds of 10 billion baht for the production of as much as 6 million tonnes. Nevertheless, the subcommittee on advertising and marketing of tapioca agreed it needs to be extended to cover 15 million tonnes of the harvest so the funds must be enlarged.

"The specified price range may be large but precise spending could be decrease than that quantity as recent cassava roots are in demand in the market, and farmers can promote directly to traders. They do not must pledge with the federal government," stated Mr Poom.

The problem might be thought of by the Nationwide Tapioca Committee next week and later via the cabinet.

Thailand is expected to produce no less than 20 million tonnes of cassava roots this 12 months, a slight drop from 21 million final year. Production is decrease than demand, which is forecast at 26 million tonnes, of which 15 million are to be used for starch manufacturing, 10 million for tapioca chips and 1 million for ethanol.

Tapioca is a key crop for the nation, growing jobs and revenue for more than 500,000 households, with plantation spaces of almost 7 million rai.

The ministry is also making an attempt to shore up rice costs by a mortgage scheme, and it pronounced 115,096 tonnes of unmilled white rice have been pledged with the government after the legit release on Oct 7. Aromatic rice shall be harvested on the finish of November.

Permanent secretary Yanyong Phuangrach mentioned that of the 671 millers joining the programme, solely 231 were currently accepting paddy from farmers. They are unfold amongst 34 provinces with a high concentration within the crucial region.

Farmers have complained about costs being negotiated down as a consequence of high moisture content.

The ministry will mill all paddy pledged inside 10 days and require the delivery of all milled rice and damaged rice to the Public Warehouse Agency and Advertising Organisation for Farmers. Millers will get 500 baht a tonne for the milling cost.

He stated millers with inventory volumes too low for supply may seek permission to lengthen milling by one week.

Paddy value is steady because the floods are more seemingly to harm paddy manufacturing greater than last week's estimation.

"I wish to ask the marketplace to accept that the loan price [15,000 baht for white rice] is suitable as Thai farmers have misplaced a significant amount from the floods. They planted two times however can only harvest one crop," mentioned Mr Yanyong.

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FG kicks off cassava transformation action plan

ABUJA- The federal Government, Tuesday, kicked off its Cassava Transformation Motion Plan, CTAP, to increase income by at least $450 yearly of about 1.eight million farmers and create 1.2 million jobs in the cassava sub- sector of the nation’s financial system in the next 4 years.

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who disclosed this in Abuja, additionally announced the obligatory substitution of 10 per cent of High Quality Cassava Flour, HQCF, into composite wheat flour for bread baking in Nigeria.

The Minister, who made this identified on the kick-off programme in Abuja, said the 1.2 million jobs could be created by means of a doubling of production, processing and advertising of cassava within the cassava-rising belt of the country.

He stated under the motion plan, cassava farming could be run as an funding, not as challenge with the state governments, adding that the Federal Authorities will move step by step into more organised cassava sector and set up Cassava Market and Commerce Development Company, CMTDC, to coordinate farmers and provide marketplace for their produces.

“To construct around farm clusters market institutions for long run sustainable growth of the cassava sector by way of the institution of a Cassava Market and Commerce Improvement Corporation (CMTDC),” he said.

Adesina recognized lack of access to farm inputs, unavailability of market to little produces and low stage of expertise of farmers in Nigeria as main hindrances compelling farmers to sow in hope and reap with tears in the country.

He lamented that only eleven % of farmers in Nigeria get fertilizer and that the fertilizer was of the low high quality, in contrast with other nations, noting that they had been working to place in place necessary things wanted for them to put them out of dungeon and boost meals manufacturing within the country.

His phrases: “It can be crucial as a result of science has prove it that with 10% you possibly can have great bread, I do know our flour mills went by way of hell, but they need to understand that we face a particular problem. Right now, our farmers can’t discover a market for cassava, their income is dropping, unemployment is rising whereas we flood this place with imported flour.

“I've talked to them, I'll rise up for the interest of farmers of this country; I don’t assume it is too much to ask for 10%, the federal government has three options, it may well ban wheat, enhance the tariff on wheat or flour import or use 10 % substitution inside baking bread. That 10% substitution alone is four hundred,000 metric tons of top of the range cassava flooring and 1.6million metric tons of cassava tuber.

“We've got reached agreement with flour mills industry a week ago, I’m happy with that. We should build Nigeria and add worth to what we produce and create work for our personal farmers. With that 10% substitution going forward and the cassava transformation motion plan is how flip again agreement into fast motion on the state degree, organising the farmer and cassava processors, to see that there's contractual agreement between them and ensuring that the settlement is fulfilled.

“We're going to monitor it very intently as a result of it is in regards to the farmers of this nation, not about any physique else. I'll wish to ask for state commissioners as they work with the cassava transformation staff put collectively a frame work for close monitoring.

“In every country, whether or not in Netherlands or Brazil, I'm very sure you will not see the farmers with hoes and cutlasses, you'll not find farmers which are poor, they're supported earlier than planting, even after planting, they are supported in term of stabilizing the prices.

“However Nigerian farmers don't have any support around them it's as if you have any person, you placed on a rickety boat within the Atlantic ocean and you say sail or sink. Farmers on this nation have been deserted and they're unable to benefit from they commodity they produced.

“These are a few of the reasons they haven't been in a position to profit from the new technology. Should you have a look at the cassava we're speaking about at this time, the foundation and tubers usually are not too good, compared with Brazil. Basically, they haven't been in a position to get entry to the know-how that can elevate their productivity. Subsequently, Nigerian farmers usually are not with the ability to compete.

“Secondly, they aren't gaining access to most elementary inputs, fertilizer. In case you look across the country in the present day, the government’s assist for farmers is fertilizer but solely eleven percent of the farmers really get it. So, because of that, the typical level of use of fertilizer within the country is simply 14 kilogram per hectare. That 14 kg/ per hectare is so low, compared to those that we are competing towards, the global average is a hundred kg per hectare.

Talking on the memory and future of cassava manufacturing in Nigeria, Deputy Director Root and Tuber Crops, Dr. Victor Odeyemi, defined that the ten% Excessive Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) composite wheat flour was introduced by Obasanjo’s administration but was not revered by millers as a result of it was a coverage assertion without authorized backing.

“In order to ensure that produced tubers are processed, he (Obasanjo) introduced the inclusion of 10% high quality cassava flour into composite wheat flour. Many SMEs for HCQF had been put in place within a short period. “Nevertheless, many of them soon closed as a result of non-patronage by millers because the ten% was a coverage statement without any legal backing.

“That is where we're at present and on this , the present administration is constructing on by ensuring legal backing for every coverage and make agriculture a business which shall be private-sector driven, using 1000's of individuals along the value chain and ensuring meals safety,” he said.

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IPB college students develop cassava noodle

JAKARTA: Bogor Agricultural College (IPB) college students have developed Mo Mie, an on the spot noodle created from cassava and tempeh flour.

Laeli Nur Hasanah, a pupil in IPB’s public health division, advised information portal okezone.com that her workforce developed the noodle to diversify staple foods, find replacements for flour and to improve the economic value of cassava.

Manufacturing of cassava, an Indonesian staple, has been stymied by its low economic value. The scholars added the tempeh for protein.

Mo Mie can be a substitute for conventional flour-primarily based immediate noodles, Laeli said. Indonesia is the world’s second largest flour-based on the spot noodle shopper, regardless of being a web flour importer.

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DA to spice up cassava production in 3 ARMM provinces

ZAMBOANGA CITY, The Department of Agriculture (DA) will distribute 46 units of cassava grater and presser to the three island provinces of the Autonomous Area in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to boost cassava manufacturing in these areas.

The cassava graters and pressers, which were promised by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, can be distributed before the year ends to the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Edgardo Tabal, regional Agricultural Extension Program Division officer-in-charge, mentioned the distribution of the tools would help the cassava farmers within the three ARMM provinces enhance their income.

Cassava is plentiful within the three provinces as a lot of the farmers plant the crop as their main livelihood in addition to for domestic consumption.

Cassava is broadly grown within the three provinces among the various crops on alluvial, sloping and foothill areas, and some farmers intercrop it with coconut or with upland rice and corn.

Dr. Algerico Mariscal of the Philippine Root Crops Analysis and Training Center in Leyte State College said that the ARMM has the most important consumption of cassava within the nation based on the data of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.

ARMM is followed by Zamboanga Peninsula, Bicol, Northern Mindanao, Sorsogon, and the Nationwide Capital Area, Mariscal said.

Tabal said cassava is included as one of many country’s major crops and is also identified beneath the DA’s Food Staple and Stability Program instead that will scale back rice importation.

Cassava may be processed into totally different food products with increased economic value.

Cassava can also be used within the manufacture of commercial products like as a raw materials within the manufacturing of ethanol aside from being used as food and feed ingredients.

Tabal said they just lately performed a Expertise Coaching and Program Orientation on Cassava for Meals Undertaking in this city.

The topics included cassava varieties for meals, cropping system, cultural management, postharvest practices, and cassava meals preparations.

Except for Mariscal, the coaching’s different useful resource speaker was Dr. Candido Damo, nationwide cassava project chief of DA.

Damo said the DA has set a separate funding help to promote cassava and different root crops as major products.

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Lethal cyanide present in cassava

Cassava based mostly merchandise are establishing a growing foothold in the Australian well being meals market, nevertheless, new analysis reveals that some imported merchandise comprise harmful levels of the poison cyanide.

A staple meals for around 800 million folks, the root of the cassava plant, when not correctly processed, accommodates cyanide, which might cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, weak spot and death.

New analysis carried out by Asssociate Professor Ros Gleadow, Dr Anna Burns and Dr Timothy Cavagnaro of Monash University’s College of Organic Sciences, along with Dr J. Howard Bradbury from the Australian Nationwide University, examined the cyanide content of a number of merchandise presently obtainable in Melbourne and Canberra.

The testing occurred both earlier than and after the introduction by Meals Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) of a really helpful cyanide restrict of ten parts per million.

Affiliate Professor Gleadow stated the outcomes indicated that while highly processed merchandise and those manufactured in Australia since January 2011 adhered to food safety standards, some imported products contained comparatively high levels of the poison.

“Probably the most alarming instance of this trend is 262 ppm in a single brand of cassava chips. A baby weighing 20 kg would wish to eat 40g to 270g of these chips to succeed in the deadly dose - doubtlessly that’s only one bag of chips.

“The protection requirements are having a positive effect, nevertheless it’s not clear that there’s any testing or enforcement occurring, which is worrying. We would advocate the introduction of proper labelling and enforcement of the safety standards.”

Professor Gleadow mentioned that because cassava-based mostly meals was not extensively consumed in Australia, it was not perceived as a risk.

“If you happen to look to African and Asian nations, where cassava is a big a part of folks’s diets, the risks of consuming large quantities of the unprocessed root are clear. One of the most devastating outcomes of a monotonous cassava-primarily based food regimen is Konzo, a disease which might trigger everlasting paralysis.”

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Worth Addition Key to Cassava Revolution in Nigeria

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has stated that for the nation to spice up cassava production, it should pay extra attention than ever before to value addition.

The Director Common, IITA, Dr. Peter Hartmann, mentioned other than bettering farmers’ incomes, value addition has the ability to address the increasing degree of unemployment in Nigeria.

He spoke at a stakeholders’ forum in Ibadan, Oyo State, to mark the end of the CFC-funded Cassava Worth Chain Project in Nigeria carried out by IITA and its national partners.

Hartman, who was represented by a scientist with IITA, Dr. Gbassey Tarawali, mentioned the establishment of cassava processing centres in Masaka, Lafia, and Kuje for the production of garri, fufu, cassava flour and starch is producing constructive outcomes by providing new streams of incomes to the benefiting communities.

He added that with an annual production of about 44 million tonnes of cassava, Nigeria was in the present day the world’s chief of cassava, but confused that the country was but to harness the maximum benefit from cassava attributable to inadequate processing amenities, and stated this subjects the crop to seasonal glut.

Everlasting Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Funding, Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi, mentioned worth addition to cassava would assist flip around the fortunes of farmers.

The permanent secretary stated cassava provided large alternatives that might broaden the nation’s economic viability and enhance its competitiveness notably in the non-oil sector.

“Nigeria as the largest world producer of cassava can profit immensely from this great crop if concerted efforts were made at harnessing its numerous potentials,” he mentioned,

“Let me name on all key players within the cassava industry and prospective buyers to take a cue from the cassava prototype tasks with a view to putting in standard processing crops to utilise the volume of cassava produced in the nation as a supply of income,” he said.

Nigeria’s Challenge Coordinator, Mrs. Omololu Ope-ewe, said that the approach used in the mission was to strengthen farmers, processors and entrepreneurs by means of the introduction of appropriate technologies.

“The cassava challenge was very profitable in all venture websites namely Kuje (Shabach Food), Mararaba (Joe Beg Farms) and Angwa village in Lafia, Nasarawa State. All the challenge websites got varied intervention measures including building structures, cassava processing tools, packaging materials etc. The products from the websites had been accepted by NAFDAC,” she said.

The IITA-CFC Regional Coordinator, Prof. Lateef Sanni, known as on the beneficiaries to benefit from the processing centres. He urged policymakers and the non-public sector to make the most of the untapped alternatives available within the cassava sector, especially processing.

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Stick to rising cassava for good harvests

Tanzanian farmers ought to stick to rising drought resistant crops in the event that they wish to enhance their harvests in view of world climate modifications that always lead to insufficient rainfall.The recommendation was given yesterday by the minister for Agriculture, Food Safety and Cooperatives, Professor Jumanne Maghembe, in Dar es Salaam to mark the Cassava Week.

Officiating on the launch of the exhibition held at Karimjee grounds, the minister mentioned cultivating drought resistant crops, comparable to cassava, would enable Tanzania overcome the perennial meals shortages.

“With the current world weather changes, which extra typically result in inadequate rainfall, cassava stands out as the suitable crop in most parts of the country. Improving production and productivity of the crop will, subsequently, guarantee meals security and earnings to native and international farmers and the nation,” said Prof Maghembe.

He said cassava was a drought resistant root crop, tolerant to low soil fertility and most pests. The crop can be saved underground safely and conveniently compared to other food crops, he said.Further, he went on to say, it allows for extensive flexibility in planting and harvesting time, the outcome being the potential for having a crop all the year round.

Prof Maghembe said if cassava could be grown and stored in good situations a farmer could realise 20 tonnes of cassava or more. He stated the crop contributes significantly to family food security, earnings and employment opportunities for 500 million people around the world.

“Because of being a strategic food safety crop, cassava might be among crops with high productiveness potentials that may considerably contribute to poverty discount within the country and livelihood basically, thus being a key player in fostering rural improvement,” he said.

Giving examples, he mentioned China needs 500,000 tonnes of cassava from Africa annually. Thus he suggested farmers to extend the crop’s production in order to satisfy the world market.Prof Maghembe mentioned despite its significance, production of the crop was still very low in the country, estimated at six tonnes per hectare in opposition to the potential of over 30 tonnes per hectare.

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Tapioca flour and exports growth areas

The Thai tapioca industry will focus on flour exports and Asian markets as part of its growth strategy over the next five years, when the exports of tapioca products could reach 100 billion baht.

The Commerce Ministry projected that by 2016, domestic demand for cassava roots in ethanol production will surge to 13 million tonnes, while exports could top 22.5 million tonnes, totalling 35.5 million tonnes, up 42% from the current production levels.

Speaking at the World Tapioca Conference 2011, Yanyong Phuangrach, the ministry's permanent secretary, said Thailand should focus more on exporting tapioca flour to substitute for a reduction in the export of tapioca chips and pellets.

The proportion of flour exports is expected to rise to 65% from 51% now, with chips and pellets making up the rest.

Mr Yanyong said the country should build a good image and accept the standards of its tapioca flour and other products to create confidence among importers, buyers and local consumers.

Thai exporters should also expand in promising markets, especially in Asia countries such as China, India and Indonesia, to ensure flour quality and lower transport and insurance costs.

Sharing his view was Pramote Kongthong, president of the North Eastern Tapioca Trade Association, adding that tapioca flour has high potential to be used in food, energy and other industries.

He is confident Thailand's exports of tapioca products will exceed 100 billion baht over the next five years. Currently, there is more investment in tapioca flour factories to supply major customers in China and India.

Tapioca is a key economic crop for the country, creating jobs and income for more than 500,000 families, with plantation areas of about 6.5 million to 7 million rai.

Thailand harvests approximately 20-25 million tonnes of cassava roots each year, 75% of which are processed for export.

Last year, the country shipped 7.27 million tonnes of all types of tapioca products worth US$2.15 billion (68.3 billion baht).

Seree Denworalak, president of the Thai Tapioca Traders Association, said tapioca exports this year were projected at 73 billion baht, of which 44 billion baht would be tapioca flour.

However, the figures may change after a survey on cassava root production in September.

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School's giant cassava find

TEACHERS and students of Bulileka Sanatan Primary School in Labasa got a shock when a seven-month-old cassava plant bore a 20 kilogram crop.

Students from the school uprooted the plant on Thursday.

Headteacher Narsamma Naidu said they were thrilled to see such a gigantic crop in their yard.

"This is a rare sight and we are really surprised that we have this big crop right here in our school garden," Ms Naidu said.

"I asked the garden teacher to dig up a cassava plant for our morning tea because we decided to have tea with cassava this morning," she said.

Ms Naidu said they would cook some for morning tea and the rest would be shared among the teachers who were interested.

She said the growth of the plant would have to be attributed to soil fertility given the creek that flowed nearby.

She said five students planted the crop in December.

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