TAAT Cassava Compact: Rebranding the cassava value chain in the Central Africa Republic
IITA, through the TAAT Cassava Compact, in partnership with The Savannah-based Agricultural Value Chains Development Support Project (PADECAS), has launched an initiative to strengthen the technical and organizational capacities of seed multiplier farmers and seed companies in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The Project, funded by the Central African Republic government through a grant from the African Development Bank (AfDB), will facilitate technical assistance from TAAT Compacts enabling farmers to access improved technologies and establish strong, economic links between actors in the cassava, maize, and three other value chains with financial institutions to fast-track farmers’ access to credit for four years.
The TAAT cassava component contributes to the deployment of a roadmap to improve seed and cassava production systems.
The main objective of the cassava component of the Project is to contribute to the deployment of the National Roadmap to improve Seed and Cassava Production Systems through catalytic support for the introduction of SAH™ (Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics) technology to produce high-efficiency healthy cassava cuttings and the dissemination of other technologies and innovations to increase cassava productivity on smallholders’ farms. IITA experts will strengthen technical capacity and support the various sector players to use the introduced technologies.
The Project will establish a dynamic and efficient system of disseminating cassava seed, promote good agricultural practices (GAP) and mechanization to improve cassava productivity and enhance the private sector’s ability to manufacture nutritious cassava products.
Project Manager Adebayo Abass explained: “PADECAS provides a vital opportunity to outscale TAAT technologies to new domains in the CAR. The country is desirous to transform its agriculture sector taking advantage of TAAT experts’ support to deliver new technologies that have proven effective in achieving agricultural transformation.”
The TAAT Cassava Compact project will establish the necessary infrastructure for the production, processing, and marketing of commodities while engaging the private sector in the commercial, industrial, and financial activities to ensure the successful delivery of the project goal. The Cassava Compact will also support the Monitoring and Evaluation activities of the Project
