Quantitative Analysis of Cassava Products and Their Impacts on the Livelihood of Value Chain Actors: Case of the Centre Region of Cameroon

Abstract

This study was carried out to analyze the trend of cassava (Manihot esculenta) products and impacts on the livelihood of value chain actors in the Centre Region of Cameroon. Thus, surveys were carried out in 2016, in six localities (Yaounde, Bafia, Obala, Ngoumou, Mbankomo and Mbalmayo) of the Centre Region with the aid of structured questionnaires. Three hundred value chain actors mainly producers, processors, transporters, marketers and consumers of cassava and cassava-based products were selected through a multi-stage random sampling technique and interviewed in markets. However, some producers and consumers were interviewed in their farms, restaurants and at home. Data collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS 20. The results indicated that different cassava products were available at different levels of the value chain. Bobolo/baton, flours, tubers, cassava leaves, cassava cuttings, starch, mitoumba/mintoumba/ntoumba, garri/gari, and water fufu were the main products sold. Meanwhile, tubers, bobolo, leaves and flour were observed as the most consumed products. About 87% of producers had farm sizes ranging from 1-5 Ha and 13% had farms greater than 5 Ha. The main sources of planting material were from neighboring farms (65%), friends (19%), seed farms (9%) and donations (7%). Approximately 90% of plant material used were local cassava varieties and 10% were improved varieties. The main difficulties encountered in cassava production were infertile soils (15.73%), unavailability of quality seeds (14.61%), pests and diseases (12.36%) and the remainder were other constraints. At the marketing level, constraints such as poor transport facilities (31.51%), scarcity of conservation or storage facilities (19.18%), price fluctuations (16.44%) and poor marketing channels (15.07%) were noted among others. In the transformation sector, difficulties registered were, poor mechanization, poor transport facilities, scarcity of fuel wood and raw material. Thus, mechanization is recommended to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the cassava value chain in the region.