Cameroon: Project for Upgrading Cassava Value Chain for Small-scale Farmers /Projet d'Amélioration de la Chaîne de Valeur du Manioc pour les Petits Agriculteurs

Cassava is a staple food crop in Cameroon and an important source of income for smallholder farmers, particularly in the Central, Southern, and Eastern regions. However, farmers face several challenges, including limited access to improved varieties, cultivation practices that are not yet fully standardized, and limited post-harvest processing and marketing capacity. As a result, increasing farm income continues to be an important focus.

This project (planned for December 2025 to January 2029) aims to improve the entire cassava value chain—from production to processing and marketing—in the Central, Southern, and Eastern regions of Cameroon, with the goal of increasing income for smallholder farmers. The project is implemented in close collaboration with the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development/ Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD) as the counterpart organization, as well as with extension services under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development /Ministère de l'Agriculture et du Développement Rural (MINADER).

During the first year, the project conducted a cassava value chain survey and a baseline survey together with counterpart institutions to better understand farmers’ production and marketing realities. The surveys revealed that women play a central role in cassava production, that production and marketing conditions vary significantly by region, and that sales are largely conducted on an individual basis, with limited functioning of collective marketing mechanisms. Based on these findings, priority activities for subsequent phases were identified and refined.

The project is currently preparing to establish demonstration plots to support the introduction of improved cassava varieties. From FY2026 onward, activities will move into full-scale implementation, with a stronger focus on processing and marketing, supported by stable cassava production and improved product quality. Rather than simply transferring predefined technologies, the project works with farmers from the planning stage onward. Activities are tailored to local conditions and farmer groups, with the aim of achieving income improvements gradually through a step-by-step, participatory approach.

Interviews with farmer groups

On-site field inspections

Interviews with Gari (processed cassava product) traders