• Mass produce cassava grown by small scale farmers in the country.
• Only a few manufacturers who are buying cassava from farmers in the country.
• Encouraged private companies and Non-governmental organizations to compliment government’s efforts.

An Agriculture Expert has urged manufacturers in the country to come up with innovative businesses that will make use of cassava being produced by small scale farmers into finished products.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Dr. Frank Kayula explained that most manufacturing companies prioritize maize compared to cassava due to its limited uses which disadvantages the farmers, hence the need to invest in more areas that will utilize the crop.
“Cassava does not have a readily available market as compared to maize, it only has a few and can only benefit a few farmers,” Dr. Kayula said.
Dr. Kayula noted that there are only a few manufacturers who are buying cassava from farmers in the country and cannot manage to buy from all farmers.
“We have the National Breweries who buy cassava for their beer, we also have the Starch Industry in North Western Province and Tute Milling in Luapula Province owned by the Programe against Malnutrition and a Chinese company that is producing ethanol,” he said.
“These four and a few others cannot manage to buy from all farmers that are their areas hence the reluctance by farmers to crow cassava in the country.”
He further stressed the need for research to be done in order to reduce the time cassava grows from 12 months to less in order to help the farmers grow the crop all year round.
“The other challenge is that the types that the farmers grow take a whole year in order to harvest,” Dr. Kayula said.
“The challenge is therefore to continue research in order to reduce the months so that the crop can be grown in a season in order to attract farmers.”
Mr. Kayula has since encouraged private companies and Non-governmental organizations to compliment government’s efforts in coming up with innovative ways for using cassava in the country.