Disease resistant cassava varieties

Disease-Resistant Cassava Cuttings for Higher Yields

The "Disease Resistant Cassava Varieties" technology refers to a range of cassava varieties specially selected and developed to resist the viral diseases that hamper cassava production in sub-Saharan Africa, in particular cassava mosaic and cassava brown streak. These cassava varieties have been created to address the major challenges affecting this key crop in the region. The adoption of these disease-resistant varieties offers farmers a sustainable means of protecting their cassava crops, improving yields and enhancing food security in sub-Saharan Africa. What's more, these varieties often display resistance to other common cassava pathogens, promoting integrated crop health management. Breeding and development programs continue to identify new disease-resistant cassava varieties, contributing to the sustainability of cassava production in sub-Saharan Africa.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

7•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 7/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive high

Under 18: No impact

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

Viral Diseases Impacting Cassava: These diseases damage cassava leaves, reduce photosynthesis, and ultimately lead to significant yield losses and potential crop failure.
Ineffective Disease Control Methods: Common measures to protect cassava crops against viral pathogens do not provide a sustainable solution to the pervasive issue of viral diseases in cassava.
Yield Loss and Economic Impact: Farmers in African countries lose between 20% to 95% of cassava yields due to disease infections, valued at about US$1,200 – 2,300 million.

Solution

Development of Disease Resistant Cassava Varieties: These varieties are resistant to major diseases, which significantly reduces infection rates and yield losses, as well as prevents the rapid spread of diseases across growing areas.
Genetic Resistance Mechanisms: These genes are transferred from wild types into improved cassava varieties through conventional crossing techniques, offering a relatively cost-effective approach.
Comprehensive Disease Resistance: Many of the cassava varieties that are resistant to mosaic disease or brown streak disease also exhibit resistance to other major cassava pathogens, offering a significant advantage for integrated crop health management by farmers.

Key points to design your project

The technology of disease-resistant cassava varieties significantly contributes to various aspects of sustainable development. By reducing yield losses, improving food security, and promoting sustainable agriculture, these varieties empower women, mitigate climate change impacts, and contribute to achieving global development objectives.

To integrate this cassava technology into your project, consider the following activities and prerequisites:

Raise awareness among multipliers, farmers, and food processors about the benefits of disease-resistant cassava varieties.
Identify and acquire elite immune lines adapted to local conditions.
Build stakeholder capacity in propagating healthy planting material through local delivery hubs.
Estimate the quantity of cassava roots needed for your project, with planting materials typically costing between USD 30 to 35 per hectare.
Include delivery costs to the project site, accounting for potential import clearance and duties, as the technology is available in various countries.
Including costs for training and post-training support.
Develop communication materials such as flyers, videos, and radio broadcasts to raise awareness.
Associate this technology with an integrated weed, pest, and soil management system (GAP) and seed bulking for cassava multiplication for optimal results.
Explore collaborations with agricultural development institutes and seed multiplication companies for effective implementation in your country.

15—20 %

Incidences of cassava mosaic disease with resistant varieties

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology’s development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology’s readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 7 out of 9

Semi-controlled environment: prototype

Level of use 7 out of 9

Common use by projects NOT connected to technology provider

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Enabling Environments for Sustainable Regional Agriculture Extension (ENSURE)

Project funder: African Development Bank & East Africa Community
Planned Budget: USD 13.14 million
Location: East African Community (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda)
Planned duration: 2024–2027
Deployment means: On-farm demonstrations, training, digital tools (SMS, IVR, video, radio, pictorial guides), bundled inputs + advisory services, Training of Trainers (ToT)
Project main implementer: East African Community (EAC)
Project Description: Strengthen agricultural extension systems using digital tools, private-sector approaches, regional coordination, and multi-commodity focus (maize, cassava, rice, drought-resilient crops).
Objective: Promote regional extension, enhance advisory services, scale climate-smart technologies, build sustainable private sector–led extension systems, strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks.
Expected outcome: Increased adoption of improved technologies, improved farmer productivity and profitability, enhanced access to quality inputs and pest management solutions, strengthened resilience to climate and pest risks, regional market integration, job creation for youth and agripreneurs.
Figures of adoption: Target 3 million farmers reached over 4 years, digital extension pilots in 7 EAC states, training of extension agents, lead farmers, cooperatives, and youth agripreneurs, rollout of Pest Information Management Systems (PIMS).
Profiles of adopters: Smallholder farmers, women, youth agripreneurs, cooperatives and producer organizations, public and private extension agents, National Plant Protection Officers (NPPOs).
Lessons learnt: System-level approaches needed beyond technology delivery, digital tools most effective with in-person facilitation, supportive policy/regulatory environment critical, regional harmonization boosts scalability and cross-border diffusion of technologies.

Projet d’Appui au Développement des Chaînes de Valeurs en soutien au Programme de Transformation de l’Agriculture (PADCV-PTA)

Project funder: African Development Bank
Planned Budget: USD 311.609 million
Location: 6 provinces in Congo (Kongo Central, Kwango, Maï-Ndombe, Kasaï Oriental, Lomami, Sud-Kivu)
Planned duration: 2024–2029
Deployment means: Direct access to improved seeds and planting materials, seed system strengthening (INERA, SENASEM, multipliers), Farmer Field Schools and demonstration plots (1,600 sites), strengthened public extension (SNV), training/capacity building, subsidized or cost-shared inputs and equipment, irrigation infrastructure (5,200 ha), rural road rehabilitation (600 km), contract farming and private sector partnerships
Project main implementer: Social Fund of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Project Description: Implements the National Pact for Food and Agriculture (PNAA) using an integrated value chain approach combining technology access (seeds, practices), infrastructure development (irrigation, roads), extension services, farmer organization, finance, and market access to boost productivity, reduce imports, strengthen resilience, and structure agricultural value chains.
Objective: Restore national seed capital, scale improved and climate-resilient technologies, increase productivity, facilitate access to inputs/advisory/markets/finance, promote climate-smart agriculture, strengthen farmer organizations and value chain governance, reduce food imports, and enhance resilience to climate shocks and conflict.
Expected outcome: ~80% crop yield increase (rice, cassava, maize, soybean), 1.68 million tons/year additional production, expansion of irrigated rice, improved access to seeds/inputs, stronger farmer organizations, better post-harvest handling and market integration, increased private sector engagement, reduced food imports, improved national food security.
Figures of adoption: 900,000 farming households directly supported, ~295,000 ha cultivated with improved seeds, 5,200 ha irrigated rice, 600 km rural roads rehabilitated, 1,600 FFS/demonstration plots, 2 million households indirectly benefiting, +4.1 million tons private sector processing, ~1.68 million tons annual production increase
Profiles of adopters: Smallholder farmers, women farmers (100% of women-headed households in target areas), youth/agripreneurs, internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South Kivu, seed producers, cooperatives, farmer organizations/inter-professional associations, public extension services, local authorities
Lessons learnt: Infrastructure (irrigation, roads) and market access are critical for adoption, seed system reform is a bottleneck, contract farming/aggregation incentivizes adoption, combining inputs + extension + finance accelerates impact, governance and institutional coordination are key for scaling and sustainability

Emergency Food Production Project (Projet de Production Alimentaire d’Urgence - PPAU)

Project funder: African Development Fund (ADF) (Loan and Grant) and the Government of Guinea
Planned Budget: 19.39 million UC (~USD 25.23 million)
Location: Republic of Guinea – national coverage
Planned duration: Nov 2022 – June 2024 (Completion) / Dec 2024 (Closing)
Deployment means: Distribution of certified seeds and fertilizers (30% government subsidy), GAP training, digital platforms (e-Voucher/e-Extension), TAAT technical assistance
Project main implementer: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) via Project Management Unit (UGP) of PATAG-EAJ
Project Description: Emergency operation to mitigate rising input/food prices and boost production of rice, maize, and tubers
Objective: Improve food and nutritional security; increase agricultural production and productivity in intervention zones
Expected outcome: Additional production of 71,429 tons rice, 57,000 tons maize, 12,000 tons cassava; significant yield increases across crops
Figures of adoption: 35,750 direct farmers; 2,000 tons rice seeds, 750 tons maize seeds, 20,000 cassava cuttings distributed; 63,286 ha additional sown area
Profiles of adopters: Smallholder farmers (≥10,750 women – 30%), 1,650 livestock farms, youth entrepreneurs; targeting vulnerable populations
Lessons learnt:
- Constraints: High international input prices, climate vulnerability
- Success factors: Strong existing UGP (PATAG-EAJ), e-Voucher digitalization for transparency, TAAT technical support for rapid multiplication technologies (SAH)

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Benin	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burundi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Cameroon	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Liberia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Madagascar	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mozambique	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 13: climate action

Goal 15: life on land

Sourcing Disease Resistant Cuttings: Acquire disease-resistant cassava cuttings from reliable sources or select them from previously established disease-resistant cassava fields. Ensure that the cuttings are free from disease symptoms.
Field Preparation: Prepare the cassava field by clearing the land of weeds and debris. Ensure proper spacing and row orientation to minimize the spread of diseases.
Planting Cuttings: Depending on the climate and rainfall conditions, plant the cuttings horizontally in dry areas or vertically/angularly in humid areas.
Cover the cuttings entirely with soil to promote healthy growth.
Soil and Fertilizer Management: Adhere to recommended soil and fertilizer management practices tailored to your specific growing area and conditions. Ensure that the cassava plants receive adequate nutrients and water.
Weed Management: Implement effective weed control measures to prevent weed encroachment, which can limit cassava growth and yield.
Disease Control: Monitor the cassava field for any signs of disease. Promptly remove and destroy any infected plants to prevent disease spread.
Consider planting disease-resistant varieties on the boundaries or rows facing the prevailing wind direction to limit infections of susceptible varieties within the field.
Regular Maintenance: Regularly inspect the cassava field for any issues, including soil compaction or water limitations, and address them promptly to maintain optimal growing conditions.