1. Cassava production and development prospective
But there are also other impacts relative to the production elements: seeds system, agronomy, and weed control and this is what I would like you to cover? Can we anticipate what it will take to get a large majority of the farmers to adopt these improvements?...
The goal is to point to issues that should be addressed on time, and not a posteriori, to increase chances of success of the TAAT program and modernization of the cassava production. We dont necessarily need to come up with recommendations but most importantly to issues that should be considered and resolved ASAP. Examples are: network to produce and distribute improved seeds, amounts of fertiliser needed, formula needed for fertiliser, agro-chemical distribution network to reach small farmers, network of dealers for equipment, capacity building needs, policy needs… changing mentality wit DMC measurements from the field to the industry including gari...
Stefan Hauser
Root & Tuber Systems Agronomist
IITA Ibadan

2. KEY ELEMENTS for an efficient cassava production Systems in Africa
Identification of
KEY ELEMENTS for an efficient
cassava production Systems in Africa
there will not be one
system for Africa
we need efficient,
robust and sustainable
cropping systems for
many agro-ecologies
Identify the inefficiencies
Your title is Identification of key elements for an efficient cassava production system in Africa – well not just one system
Efficient is Good and important but in agriculture the time element is of crucial importance because land for production is not unlimited and production is not a simple continuation of planting and harvesting – you need to keep the soil in place and you need to feed and protect your crop. Thus the system needs to be robust another word would be resilient and over all sustainable.
Her I would like to start by looking into the inefficiencies

3. ! YIELD Where does Africa stand in cassava production?
In cassava we may well look at a yield gap equivalent to 90% of the yield potential.
80 Mg ha-1 fresh roots are often quoted as a potential but on single plant basis 120 Mg ha-1 are possible. !
YIELD

4. Production and yield statistics, general situation
India
Thailand,
Brazil
Some general production data – currently 90 Mg/ha are considered the potential yield although there are indications that it can be higher and up to 120 Mg/ha.
More important is the level of the attainable yield which is around 60 Mg/ha. This yield is attained under best possible conditions that farmers can provide. The reality is that yields are between 5 and 30 Mg/ha, depending on soil conditions climate (mainly rain fall) and the crop husbandry. In Africa most countries average yields are between 5 and close to 20 Mg/ha with Nigeria around Mg/ha.
For an economically viable cassava production the yields need to increase to levels comparable to those in Thailand and Brazil.

5. Some of the reasons are:
Bad misconceptions of crop requirements (cassava),
Low level of mechanization,
Soil degradation, unsuitable tillage systems
Lack of reliable recommendations on fertilizer use,
Unavailability of suitable herbicides,
Insufficient knowledge on the crops’ responses to intercrops
Insufficient knowledge on profitable input use (economics)
Low level of intensification,
Small scale production,

6. Yield and productivity
increases are
imperative !
Yield and productivity increases are imperative and here for Nigeria or all of Africa it is yield increases in the first place as it is unlikely to increase productivity at the current yield levels. Here only cost reductions would contribute to increased productivity.
How to attain higher yields and higher productivity?

7. What are the prospects of higher yields?
Except for Abeokuta all sites did perform better with second season plantings – this needs to be confirmed with additional years
However it indicates as well that with changing planting times the yield and potentially the productivity can be increased as the price for raw cassava fluctuates through the year.
Mean fresh root yield across 8 sites in 2 seasons.

8. Yield distribution in 1st and 2nd
season at 8 sites in Nigeria

9. First change in attitude:
More flexibility in planting and harvesting time.
Forget the traditional calendar – check when cassava fetches high prices, stretch labour and machine use over the longest possible period.

10. What factors will contribute to higher yields?
Which factors can be easily changed by farmers?
Access
Seed systems
Production
objectives
Cost
Labour
Cost
Access

11. Cassava fresh root yield at Ido, Poor sand soil – grass infested

12. Cassava fresh root yield at Moniya,
Bush fallow clayey sand, low weed infestation

13. Cassava fresh root yield at Ido, Poor sand soil – grass infested,
2nd season planting

14. Cassava fresh root yield at Moniya,
Bush fallow clayey sand, low weed infestation,
2nd season planting

15. Second change in attitude:
Know which factor makes what contribution to the final yield and when and know the cost.
Forget ‘black box’ total package approaches – check factor productivity and select those making contributions to productivity.

16. Picking up the differential fertilizer response in the two sites:
There are no recent and reliable fertilizer recommendations that were obtained from trials with new varieties, under todays soil quality conditions and todays fertilizer prices!
It is only one year into a program that does a structured country – wide approach on determining the right fertilizer blend and rates for cassava.
The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI)

17. Third change in attitude:
Don’t believe the ‘facts’ established in the past to be valid today.
Agriculture and the condition under which crops are produced have changed considerably over the last 2 to 3 decades, and that is how old most information on cassava agronomy is.

18. 1.3024 32.645 Site Tillage Variety System Fertilizer actual density
Fresh yield (Mg/ha)
Ido
Ridge
TME419
Cassava
Fert
1.250
31.299
CassMz
1.198
28.771
1.458
28.255
Moniya
1.000
35.682
NoFert
35.054
Flat
1.583
32.999
Abeokuta
1.369
40.404
0.778
40.081
1.417
39.564
Ile Ogbo
0.944
26.249
1.310
25.524
24.052
Umudike
1.917
43.920
2.000
39.138
1.750
37.199
Makurdi
30.529
1.429
30.385
TMS30572
29.796
Anyigba
29.439
29.131
1.019
28.074
1.3024
32.645

19. Labour
Perception is
that cassava is a crop with low labour requirement;
Fact is that it is not true!

20. Time required (number of days per ha) in cassava production by task in the Congo, Côte d'lvoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. (Source: Nweke 2001)
A year has about working days

21. Reasons
the long growing phase (weeds)
the slow development and
susceptibility to weeds
the mainly manual harvesting
the bulk of planting material and
roots and
the required processing

22. What do we know about the crop?
Prospects of labour reduction
Start with proper soil and planting bed preparation,
seek mechanization solutions suited to the scale
of operation
What do we know about the crop?
This photo shows a cassava of 1 year grown form a flat inserted stick 5 roots of < 250 g and one of no use.
The weed control is presented by Prof Friday Ekeleme

23. Does it need to be a tractor of 75 HP or Even 180-250 HP ?
2 Lamborgini 180 HP
SAME 250HP
5 DEUTZ 75 HP

24. Consult economists to choose a machine that
There is a machine for every size of operation
Consult economists to choose a machine that
can be profitable in a specific setting

25. Fourth change in attitude:
Stop dreaming of the Top End level of mechanization as a solution to a majority of smallholders.
Look for the appropriate and affordable machines, keep it simple so maintenance is not an issue.

26. There are special machines that may be extremely suitable for cassava, yet have not been used in cassava.
Here a high wheel base tractor for mechanical and chemical weed control in advanced cassava crops.

27. Fifth change in attitude:
Look for solutions GLOBALLY (contrary to global solutions),
do not accept what is currently in the market.
Do not believe the offer in the market reflects the global offer. Consider that the offer may suit the trader more than the customer.

28. Mechanization without guaranteed
after sales service is a waste of funds!
Governments and institutions need to establish rules that will ensure services and spare parts for any imported equipment.

29. Government has its vision and plans for agriculture
The last 2 days I cannot remember how many times I heard :’Government needs to do this Government needs to do that and that and another thing and so on ‘.
Frankly
Government has its vision and plans for agriculture
How valid and doable these are I cannot assess - - -
What needs to be done by the government is listen to the stakeholders in the cassava value chain.
And this means that you – the stakeholders need to provide Government with information that would guide the decision making in the favour of the stakeholders.
The last 2 days I cannot remember how many times I heard :’Government needs to do this Government needs to do that and that and another thing and so on ‘.
Frankly
Government has its vision and plans for agriculture
How valid and doable these are I cannot assess - - -
What needs to be done by the government is listen to the stakeholders in the cassava value chain.
And this means that you – the stakeholders need to provide Government with information that would guide the decision making in the favour of the stakeholders.

30. Thank you