Ghana Cassava Industrialisation and Partnership Project (GCIPP)
An AGRA-funded project leveraging private investment to enhance cassava productivity for over 81,000 smallholder farmers and link them to sustainable structured markets.
Out of the realistic annual demand of over 200,000 Metric Tons (MT) of starch, only 66,000 MT of cassava are processed commercially, mostly for production of packaged traditional foods. This demand gap presents enormous economic opportunity for smallholder cassava farmers. However, the utilization and marketing of cassava has been a challenge over the years.
The project delivered an inclusive multi-disciplinary value chain intervention through a consortium of 7 partners providing market access, agro-input business solutions, market information systems, technical training and FBO strengthening. The 7 key partners were Agri-Impact Consult (lead implementer), Ohumpong Investments Limited and JOSMA Agro-Industries (primary processors, planting materials suppliers and lead aggregators), Food Research Institute (capacity building and QA/QC compliance), Ghana Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Platform (policy advocacy and market development), CSIR–Crop Research Institute (supplied cuttings of improved high-yielding varieties and trained farmers on GAP), and Ministry of Trade and Industry (spearheaded the national cassava strategy plan and facilitated market access).
The project was premised on creating a structured market for smallholder fresh cassava producers with the aim to improve their livelihoods, focusing on enhancing production capacity and linking farmers to sustainable markets through contract farming.
Project Objectives
- Leveraged $85 million private investment into cassava processing and $200 million government investment under One District One Factory for cassava processing.
- Enhanced productivity of 110,000 smallholder farmers to cultivate 110,000 ha of cassava farm, increased yield from 12 tons/ha to 30 tons/ha, producing at least 1.8 million tons of fresh cassava annually.
- Increased and improved primary processing to reduce post-harvest losses by 50% and cost of supply by 25%.
- Supported government's (Ministry of Trade and Industry) cassava industrialization agenda with technical assistance.
Project Output
- AIC facilitated the request of Amantin Agro Processing Limited to MoFA for cassava planting materials valued over GHS 12 million.
- AIC facilitated a request to Initiate Trust Limited (ITL) for TIAST Group Cassava package valued at $2.65 million as well as 30% financing from the 1D1F desk.
- More than 81,553 farmers were mobilized.
- Supply agreements facilitated: 79 with Ohumpong Investment Limited, 46 with JOSMA Agro Processing, 4 with Initiate Trust Limited, and 153 with Amantin Agro Processing Limited.
Countries/Locations: Bono East Region, Central Region, Oti Region, Ashanti Region
Project Partners: Ministry of Food and Agriculture, JOSMA Agro Industries, Ministry of Trade and Industry, AGRA, CSIR-CRI, FRI/CAVA, Caltech Ventures Limited, Agri-Impact Consult, Ohumpong Investment Limited, CSIR-FRI, GICSP, Amantin Agro Processing Company Limited