Organized by: WFP Centre of Excellence for Rural Transformation, WFP Regional Centre of Excellence against Hunger and Malnutrition, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences

Supported by: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of P. R. China

Background

Cassava is one of staple foods in many tropical countries and is planted in more than 90 countries over the world. Currently, it is the basic food resource for around one billion people in tropical areas and a raw material for starch processing, which could contribute to income increasing and poverty reduction among smallholders. It also has several advantages over rice, maize, and other grains as a staple food in areas where there is a degraded resource base, uncertain rainfall, and weak infrastructure. Cassava has historically played a famine prevention role in eastern and southern Africa, while the cassava value chain development is of great significance especially for many developing countries.

WFP and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) signed an MOU on South-South Cooperation to promote knowledge sharing and expertise support in the area of tropical agriculture development. In 2021, WFP Centre of Excellence for Rural Transformation (WFP China COE) and CATAS co-organized a Seminar on South-South Cooperation Roadmap on Tropical Agriculture, which identified a roadmap for future cooperation, including the cassava value chain development. WFP China COE in collaboration with WFP Regional Centre of Excellence against Hunger and Malnutrition (CERFAM) and CATAS organized a Seminar on Cassava Production and Processing Technology for African Countries, which focused on the production and processing of cassava value chain. In 2022, a Cassava Food Processing Technology Training Course for Developing Countries was organized by CATAS and supported by WFP China COE to share knowledge and techniques of cassava-based food. Hundreds of participants from different developing countries are benefited from those South-South Cooperation activities. The WFP SSTC project in the Republic of the Congo facilitated by WFP China COE also focuses on supporting cassava value chain development, where CATAS has been the key technical partner.

Rationale

Cassava value chain development contributes to global food security and poverty reduction, while WFP is dedicated to change lives and livelihoods of smallholders by improving food security and nutrition. Cassava value chain is one of prioritized topics for WFP China COE to facilitate thematic knowledge and experience sharing through South-South Cooperation. WFP China COE works with different partners to explore applicable technologies and thematic topics in the field of cassava value chain and to support peer-to-peer learning in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

CERFAM is a platform of exchanges, partnerships and cooperation, which aims to respond to the increasing demand of national governments for capacity strengthening, technical expertise, knowledge management, South-South cooperation and exchange, sharing of good practices and lessons learned in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. Post-harvest Loss Management in African countries is highly prioritized by CERFAM. WFP China COE has been collaborating with CERFAM in Abidjan for fostering these developing countries’ experience, good practices and lessons learned.

CATAS, as a national research academy administrated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of P. R. China, engaged in tropical agricultural research, achievements transformation and talents cultivation, especially on cassava technology development and innovation. CATAS has established several models for international cooperation on cassava value chain development, including “CATAS + multinational enterprise”, “CATAS + demonstration centre + local government” and “CATAS + governments + farmers”.  CATAS is dedicated to building a technical platform for bilateral and multilateral international cooperation in this regard. Cassava value chain development is the major topic of cooperation between WFP China COE and CATAS.

Objectives

The objective of this Seminar on Cassava Value Chain Development is to share developing countries’ experience and good practices on cassava value chain development, provide exchange opportunity for more specific demand-supply programming, and build the platform to strengthen cooperation in future.

More specifically, this Seminar aims to:

? Support developing countries to share technology and practice on cassava value chain including post-harvest loss reduction, processing and nutrition;

? Provide an opportunity for concerned partners to exchange insights and visions on solutions and pathways to support cassava value chain development in different areas;

? Build a thematic platform to facilitate international cooperation on cassava value chain.  

 Agenda