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Cassava is Key for Food Security in Mozambique
A strategy for tapping cassava’s potential to spur growth and improve livelihoods

Cassava plays a key role for food security in Mozambique. Recognizing that cassava’s potential to spur economic growth and improve the livelihoods of poor farmers remains largely untapped, the government, with technical support from the EC-FAO Food Security Information for Action Programme, has just released a strategy for developing the cassava sub-sector.

The first part of the strategic study, with results from the basic data and value chain analysis, is available at: http://www.foodsec.org/docs/cassava_strategy_vol1.pdf The full cassava development strategy for Mozambique for 2008-2012 is being finalized and will be presented in early 2008.

Background

Cassava and maize are the basis of most Mozambicans’ diet. Indeed, cassava is the main source of calories and is a low

“the study shows that investing in cassava will benefit the poorest farmers”

cost source of food. Even cassava leaves are consumed as they are a good source of protein and minerals.

Cassava is typically produced by smallholder farmers in marginal areas - where it is vital for food security due to the unreliability of other crops. An estimated 12 million people in Mozambique are involved in cassava production, processing and marketing. The study clearly shows that investing in cassava will benefit the poorest farmers, as it offers income and employment opportunities.

Study Shows Market Growth Potential

Market analysis has shown that there is:

- a growing, food-security oriented,domestic market which is expected to remain active for a long time;
- a growing, but still fragile, domestic commercial market; but
- virtually no international market.

A growing number of private investors have also shown interest in producing and processing cassava in Mozambique.

Key Elements of the Strategy

The cassava development strategy recommends building on the domestic market to eventually penetrate international markets.

Short Term Strategy:

Improve the quality of traditional products by promoting best agricultural and processing practices for rale and flour, the two main processed cassava products.

Short to Medium Term Strategy:

Expand the range of cassava products starting with products that already have a domestic market opportunity. These include products for the bread and pastry industry and the animal feed sector.

Medium to Long Term Strategy:

Develop cassava-based industries - especially the production of starch and ethanol which have huge potentials for growth in an expanding world market.

Who is Involved

The study was conducted by a local consultancy firm and monitored by a Cassava Task Force with staff from the:

- Ministry of Industry and Commerce (DNC/MIC);
- Directorate of Economic Analysis (DEA)-MINAG;
- Centre for the Promotion of Agriculture (CEPAGRI);
- Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM);
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture/South Africa Root Crops Research Network (IITA/SARRNET);
- Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM); and
- IFAD-funded Agricultural Market Support Programme at the Ministry of Planning and Development, which supported the value chain analysis and cassava subsector development strategy.

The Task Force has also received support from another EC funded FAO project - “Marketing Management Assistance” based at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The study builds on the FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) work in making sure cassava data is included in food balance sheets calculations.