Marketing of cassava and cassava products in Southern Ghana

Abstract

The Agro-Food Enterprises Project is concerned with research activities aimed at promoting environmentally benign small and medium scale agro-food enterprises, particularly those dealing with cassava and fish, in selected African countries with a view to enhancing their techno-economic development on a sustainable basis. As part of the activities under the project a survey on marketing of cassava and cassava products was conducted. The study examines the organisation of cassava and cassava products markets, traces the distribution channels and seasonality of cassava products, marketing constraints and the preferences of cassava products consumers. The study revealed that marketing of cassava and cassava products is predominantly performed by women who had had no formal education. Organisation of cassava and cassava products markets is done by the District or Metropolitan Assemblies, Market Queens and in some cases by association leaders. Some processors formed associations to regulate the supply of cassava products on the market. It was also found that the highest sales of cassava products occurs in June-July whilst the lowest sales are realised in August-September. The marketing constraints identified include lack of markets, financing, shelter at the market sites, poor road network and high cost of transportation. It was also observed that distribution of cassava and cassava products is highly influenced by the eating habit of the people in a particular area. Gari is the most preferred cassava product followed by agbelima and lastly kokonte. Contrary to this, patronage of kokonte at the Food Research Institute Kiosk is rather higher than the other products produced by the cassava processing demonstration unit. This could be attributed to the fact that the newly improved kokonte meets consumers quality specifications and therefore transfer of the improved kokonte processing technology should be encouraged. It is recommended that District Assemblies should channel resources into construction of market sheds for cassava and cassava products traders and provision of the necessary infrastructure such as good road network especially, at the village level. Other recommendations made include formation of co-operatives by cassava producers and processors as well as the need to explore bith foreign and good local market for cassava products