The Cassava Transformation: Africa's Best-Kept Secret

Chapter 12. New Uses for Cassava: A Nigerian Case Study

CHAPTER 12 New Uses for Cassava: A Nigerian Case Study Introduction We pointed out in chapter 1 that Nigeria is the most advanced of the six COSCA countries in the cassava transformation (table 1.1). Nigeria is now poised to move to the next stage, namely the feed and industrial raw material stage. Yet the transformation will not continue unless new markets are identified to absorb the increase in cassava production. The wide-scale adoption of TMS varieties and the resulting increase in yields have shifted the problem of the Nigerian cassava industry from supply (production) to demand issues, such as finding new uses for cassava in livestock feed and industries. Yet efforts to improve production and yields of tropical starch crops such as cassava often result in excess supplies for existing market demand, which, in tum, discourages production (Satin n.d.). For example, O. A. Edache, the director of the Federal Department of Agriculture in Nigeria, lamented in early 2001 that cassava producers were losing money because of a glut in the market and declining cassava prices.' Nigeria has been chosen as a case study for new uses for cassava because it is the largest cassava producer and because its cassava transformation is the most advanced in Africa. We shall examine what needs 167 The Cassava Transformation to be done to increase the use of cassava in livestock feed and food manufacture ; as starch in the textile, petroleum drilling, pharmaceutical, and soft drink industries; and as dried roots in the beer and alcohol/ethanol industries. This chapter is based on preliminary information collected in an exploratory survey in Nigeria in early 2001. Expanding the Use of Cassava In the Livestock Industry In Nigeria, the proportion of cassava used in the livestock industry increased after the government banned the importation of maize in 1985-86 and feed mills were forced to use local raw materials such as cassava . After the import restrictions on maize and other crops were removed in 1995, there was no incentive for feed millers to reduce the quantity of cassava they were using, because cassava is cheaper than maize, the feed mills had modified their plants to mill dried cassava roots, and farmers were getting higher yields from TMS varieties. In Nigeria, the 5 percent of total cassava production that is used as feed is significantly lower than in Brazil (50 percent) because in Nigeria, cattle, sheep, and goats are free grazed and pigs rummage on household waste. Also, the poultry industry has only 125 million birds in Nigeria, as compared with 867 million in Brazil in 1998 (FAOSTAT).2 Because of the pessimistic outlook for a major increase in the amount of cassava fed to livestock in Nigeria, the logical next step is to examine the global outlook for Nigerian cassava exports for livestock feed. The key country to examine is Thailand, because it has dominated the export of cassava pellets for livestock feed for more than three decades. In Thailand, only a small percentage of national cassava production is consumed as food. The most important uses for cassava are for livestock feed and starch. The production process for cassava pellets in Thailand is shown in figure 12.1. After sand and impurities are removed, the dried cassava roots are ground with a hammer mill. Cassava particles together with steam are forced through holes in a die. The compressed material emerges hot from the other side of the die. After cooling, the strands are cut to length to produce pellets (Ratanawaraha, Senanarong, and Suriyapan 1999, 16). 166 New Uses for Cassa va : A Niger i an Case Study Cassava Chips Steam _ Cassava Pellets Figure 12.1. Process for Production of Cassava Pellets. Source: RatanllW8raha, Senanarong, and Suriyapan 1999. Beginning in the 1960s, thegovemment of Thailand encouraged private finns to set up pellet factories and produce cassava pellets for export to the European Union (EU). The private sector responded, and pellet exports literally "took off." In fact, exports increased from 100,000 tons in 1966 to a peak of 9 million tons in 1989. Yet because of competition with U.S. grain exports to the EU market, the price of cassava pellets has declined, making it unattractive for Thailand to produce cassava for export. Also the EU has set an annual quota for Thai cassava imports of 5.25 million tons. However, because of low prices, Thailand did not meet its export quota...