10 results
An economically sustainable integrated cassava seed system! The cassava seed sector has long been dominated by informal practices—non-certified stem reuse, low yields, and high disease prevalence. The BASICS model addresses this by creating a viable commercial seed system for cassava, opening up investment and revenue streams in seed production, distribution, diagnostics, and digital tools. The model has been tested and refined in Nigeria with strong market demand and regulatory support, providing a scalable framework for agribusiness expansion in cassava-producing countries.
Virus diagnostic tool for cassava seed health certification by seed producers and seed certifiers. Cassava virus indexing uses PCR and LAMP diagnostic methods to detect and eliminate virus-infected cassava planting materials. It ensures virus-free plants for seed production, improving seed quality, crop resilience, and food security. Key costs include lab setup (USD 20,000) and sample testing (USD 3/sample). Training for staff and collaboration with research and seed certification bodies are crucial for successful implementation.
Building stronger cassava seed businesses for African seed entrepreneurs and farmers. CSAM aims to address these challenges by creating structured associations of cassava seed entrepreneurs, allowing them to collaborate and collectively benefit from economies of scale. Through these associations, entrepreneurs can access certification, financial resources, training, and policy advocacy. This model reduces inefficiencies, enhances seed quality, and strengthens market linkages, promoting a more robust and sustainable seed sector. CSAM has been successfully implemented in Nigeria and Tanzania and is being scaled up in Rwanda and Kenya. With over 2,700 seed entrepreneurs benefiting from this model, CSAM represents a major shift toward a more professional and sustainable cassava seed sector. It offers a platform for both entrepreneurs and investors to engage in an industry poised for growth and improvement.
Transforming Cassava Farming Through Entrepreneurial Innovation! Cassava is a key staple crop in Sub-Saharan Africa, critical for both food security and income generation. Yet, the traditional cassava seed system has been fragmented and unsustainable, primarily relying on informal farmer-to-farmer sharing and ad hoc free distributions from governments and NGOs. This system has contributed to the widespread use of low-quality, disease-prone seeds, significantly limiting productivity and the adoption of improved varieties. The Cassava Seed Entrepreneur (CSE) Business Model presents a scalable, market-driven solution to modernize the cassava seed system. It empowers rural men, women, and youth by transforming them into certified seed entrepreneurs, enabling them to produce and distribute high-quality, certified cassava planting materials. The model integrates training, digital tools, and strategic partnerships to ensure a consistent supply of clean seeds. As a result, it not only boosts cassava yields but also creates new business opportunities and enhances rural livelihoods, providing an attractive investment opportunity for the private sector.
Breeder & Foundation Cassava Seeds—Always Within Reach This technology enables seed companies and certified producers to multiply and supply breeder and foundation cassava seeds directly from research centers. It follows national seed certification standards, uses both in-house and outgrower schemes, and ensures that farmers and seed entrepreneurs get access to clean, high-quality planting material. Registration with seed authorities and proper field inspection are required for participation.
Enhancing cassava productivity through healthy planting material Cassava Seed Quality Management is a business-enabling system that provides a pathway for seed entrepreneurs to produce and market certified, high-quality cassava planting material. This system ensures disease control, increases farmer confidence, and supports a differentiated market for improved cassava seed with higher returns.
Greenhouse Solutions for Thriving Sweet Potato Farms The tent-style greenhouse is an innovative, cost-effective solution designed for the multiplication of sweet potato vines and cuttings. It utilizes screen nets and locally available materials to create a pest-free environment optimal for growth. This technology ensures the availability of high-quality, pathogen-free planting material, thereby enhancing the yield and resilience of sweet potato crops. It’s a beneficial tool for both small-scale and commercial farmers.
Quality cassava cuttings close to the fields African farmers commonly use cassava stem cuttings for planting due to their accessibility and ability to cover large areas. However, distributing these cuttings poses challenges, as they lose viability during storage, leading to increased transportation costs. This limitation affects the supply of disease-resistant cassava planting material, particularly in remote areas with poor road connectivity. Seed-bulking farms, scattered across communities, offer a solution by multiplying planting materials closer to fields, reducing production and transport costs, and reducing reliance on limited-coverage seed companies. These farms accelerate the spread of improved cassava varieties, providing pest and disease-free planting materials and fostering community-based enterprise development, ultimately improving the income and productivity of farmers and processors.
Propagate Success with Clean Suckers The macro-propagation technique of "Propagation of Disease-Cleaned Suckers" addresses the challenge of contaminated planting materials in African banana and plantain farming. It involves using field and bed-based techniques to produce large quantities of disease- and pest-free seedlings at affordable prices. The technology is crucial for enhancing productivity, increasing farmers' income, and sustaining banana and plantain production.
A rapid quality seed delivery technology for cassava Semi Autotrophic Hydroponics (SAH) is a groundbreaking technology transforming cassava planting. It addresses the slow propagation of improved varieties and contamination issues in traditional methods. SAH enables rapid access to high-quality, disease-free cassava planting materials, benefiting all farmers. This system involves trays with modified soil, plant roots, and minimal water, creating an ideal environment for healthy root growth. With low infrastructure costs, SAH is easily implementable in dispersed farming communities. It significantly reduces production costs and increases yields, making it a game-changer for cassava farming in Africa.