Report on training needs assessment of the medium to large scale processors in Volta, Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra regions in Ghana

Abstract

Training needs assessment was conducted for nine medium to large scale cassava processors in Ghana. In the Volta region the cassava processors were Marbert Limited located at Akrofu-Xeviope, Caltech Ventures located at Ho-Hodzo, God's Way Enterprise located at Agate, Have and Majestic Agribusiness Centre located at Hohoe. Cassava processes assessed in the Brong Ahafo region were Cassacoxa Limited located at Sunyani-Chiraa, Bredi Agricultural Enterprise located at Bredi, which is 12km north of Duayaw Nkwanta and 1st Door Agro-processing Enterprise located at Atebubu. In the Greater Accra Region the processors visited were Amasa Agro-processing Company Limited located at Ayikai Doblo and Afrirnat Global Enterprise Limited, Hasie. The aim of the training needs assessment was to gather information to effectively plan specific training programme for each of the processing sites to make them sustainable and effectively deliver consistent good quality and required capacity High Quality Cassava flour as specified on the C:AVA Objective 2 document. All the processors visited produced HQCF and other cassava products such as Agbelima dough, Agbelima flour, cassava fufu flour, qari, tapioca, kokonte, glucose syrup and etc. God's Way Enterprise was the only processor using HQCF for biscuits production and Afrimat Global Enterprise Limited was the only company into production of glucose syrup from HQCF. Apart from Caltech Ventures, processors require some form of additional equipment for effective HQCF production as stated above. All the processors assessed used inadequate hygienic practices and quality control for the production of HQCF. Access to markets for HQCF was a challenge for all processors except Caltech Ventures, which had good arrangement with buyers. Availability of funds for operation and expansion was a challenge to all the processors. Training needs of the processors identified included hygienic practices, equipment handling and maintenance, technological-know-how on HQCF production, quality control for production of HQCF and Commercial Development of Business Organisation (CDBO)