Technical report on CAVA/CSIR-FRI Project activities for the period February 2010 through July 2010

Abstract

Training and backstopping services, which are the main activities of CSIR-FRI under the C:AVA project, were provided to processors and end users of HQCF by the C:AVA-FRI project team within the period under review. The kitchen staff of ten (10) senior high schools were trained on how to make composite bread (wheat flour and HQCF) and four other pastries (Cassava strips, Chinchin, Ring doughnuts, Doughnuts). The schools trained were Kpando Senior High School (SHS), Kpando, Anfoega SHS, Anfoega, Bishop Herman College, Kpando, Vakpo SHS, Vakpo, Mawuli School, Ho, Mawuko Girls SHS, Ho, OLA SHS, Ho, Awudome SHS, Tsito, Sogakofe SHS, Sogakofe and Anlo SHS, Anloga. Six (6) community processors were visited and technical backstopping services were provided to them. The communities visited included Fodome ArnIe, Likpe Todome, Gbi Wegbe, Ve Koloenu Ando, Pampawie and Ve Golokwati all in the Hohoe and Kadjebi districts of the Volta Region. Nine (9) medium-to-Iarge scale processors were also visited to monitor quality compliance of HQCF production process, equipment and processing environment. The companies visited were First Door Agro-processing Enterprise, Atebubu, Cassacoxa Limited, Chiraa, Bredi Agricultural Enterprise, Bredi, Caltech Ventures Limited, Ho- Hodzo, Godsway Enterprise, Agate-Have, Majestic Agribusiness Centre, Hohoe, Marbert Limited, Akrofu-Xeviofe, Amasa Agro-processing Company Limited, Ayikai-Doblo and Afrimat Global Enterprise Limited located at Fiasie. Most of the processors were doing well but had challenges with price of cassava roots (raw material) and working capital. The wet cake, grits and HQCF produced within the period by community processors met quality specifications of end users. The end users of HQCF (Senior High Schools) were very satisfied with the training provided by CSIR-FRI team and promised to use the HQCF from September 2010 when new academic year begins