Determinants of mechanized cassava processing technology adoption in West Africa

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the determinants of adoption of mechanized processing technologies in cassava processing. The paper is based on information collected at the farm-level in ten major cassava producing countries of Africa within the context of the Collaborative Study of Cassava in Africa. High labour requirement, especially female labour is a constraint to processing of cassava into certain products. Mechanized machines for performing certain processing tasks have been available for nearly fifty years in some West African villages but not in East or Southern Africa. The machines were available at village level where individual farmers may take their cassava for processing. Shortage of female labour, easy farmer access to market centres and production of convenient cassava food products are key determinants of adoption of the mechanized processing machines in a village.