Farmers form cooperative society to meet cassava demand

Once looked as as a food crop substitute, today cassava growing and farming has given many farmers an opportunity to earn a decent living than previously thought.
With the demand in Uganda on stead rise from several consumers especially bakeries, hoteliers and confectionary than it was a couple of years ago, cassava cultivation has been embraced as cash crop.
This year alone the key lead consumer, Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has increased its demand for high quality cassava flour from the early maturing and high yielding varieties to 6,000 tonnes from the previous 5,000 tonnes.
Teso farmers have formed Teso Cassava Cooperators, an association comprised of 594 cassava farmers to tap into this lucrative deal.

Impact
Charles Okubal, the director for Landmark Millers limited, also vice chairperson for Teso Cassava Cooperators, is among such farmers whose commitment to cassava farming can be seen from the sea of lushly green cassava gardens in Ngora District.
“Farmers are much happier with the current prospects, there is no time in history where we have experienced good prices, encouraging future prospects from cassava cultivation as we find ourselves in today,” Okubal says.
He says their vision is to cement their position as trusted suppliers of high quality cassava flour.

New varieties
To beat the supply demand from the production process, he says the association has zeroed on the cultivation of early maturing varieties such as Nase 14 and Narocas 1.
Besides each farmer making proven commitment to cultivate 5 acres of improved cassava variety, Okubal adds that they have about 80 heactres of hired land they intend to plant cassava on.
James Emuge, a member, says unlike the conventional cassava varieties, the beauty about the latest improved cassava variety is that they mature within seven to nine months.

Input
Joseph Kawuki, agricultural manger-UBL, says their support process starts with grower mobilisation that entails recruitment of farmers into growing the local raw material.
He adds that during trainings, farmers are taken through social benefits in growing these crops, and once this is done, the next step is determining acreage recruitment.
Kawuki says, “We also educate growers on soil and water conservation to enhance crop productivity.”
He advises farmers to put fresh tubers in an open area, preferably on tarpaulins and plastic sheets, adding that peeling should be done by hand within the 24 hours after harvest.