• Invest in commercialization of Cassava so as to supplement government’s effort to grow the product’s value chain sector.
• Musika invests more than US$1.5 million towards cassava commercialization through multiple interventions.
• Cassava has in the recent past witnessed growing demand due to the increase in its industrial use

An Agriculture Organization has called on cooperating partners to invest in commercialization of Cassava so as to supplement government’s effort to grow the product’s value chain sector.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Musika Zambia Head of Cooperate Affairs Pamela Hamasaka said the organization in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Zambia National Cassava Association to increase industry level cooperation of key value chain actors and address industry wide challenges affecting the commercialization of cassava.
“Partners play a pivotal role in meeting Musika’s main objective of providing a ready and transparent market for the cassava crop, and access to inputs such as improved cassava varieties by smallholder farmers, coupled with training and extension services, to help meet the quality and quantity that the market demands,” she said
Ms. Hamasaka noted the organization alone has so far facilitated investments of more than US$1.5 million towards cassava commercialization through multiple interventions implemented by 10 private sector partners in Northern, Luapula, Central, Western and North Western provinces.
“The company invested an additional $10 million to develop its farmer supply network and cassava production to meet its annual target of 50,000 tonnes of dry cassava chips,” she added
She says Musika will continue contributing to the government’s efforts towards the commercialization of cassava by playing a pivotal role in identifying potential investments through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the agriculture sector, and other value chains.
Ms. Hamasaka stated that Cassava has in the recent past witnessed growing demand due to the increase in its industrial use and wide value chain, has since resulted in high commodity price on both local and regional markets.