Nat’l Cassava promotion engages media

The National Cassava Sector Coordinating Committee of Liberia (NCSCC) has embarked on a one-year media promotion under the theme, “Lifting Cassava Through Value Addition” across the country.

The NCSCC’s promotion seeks to encourage the consumption of cassava as well as increase the market for cassava sales and its related products. The NCSCC is implementing the cassava component of a European Union funded project that is implemented through ZOA/ADRA.

 Speaking with this paper Wednesday, the National Coordinator of the private-public partnership, Joseph Morris, said the promotion is aimed at showcasing the different cassava value added products, including bread, cake, flour and chips.

 Mr. Morris said the addition of cassava as Liberia’s second stable food is that lot of food can be made from the produce besides fufu, while its value chain depends on production, processing and marketing strategy.

He said the intervention into the cassava sector began one year ago which, enabled it to work with partners in the sector through which farmers were trained on how to carry out new methods of cassava planting to increase yield.

He said from the traditional five to 10 tons, farmers began producing 25 to 30 tons per hector, while the processing aspect witnessed new technologies resulting to varieties of products, and explained how the marketing strategy had also helped processors to package their final produce well.

 The NCSCC National Coordinator said this marketing strategy has showcased products in supermarkets in the country and currently has some of the cassava products at the Liberia Market Place in Sinkor.

 Meanwhile, the promotion is intended to cut across media institutions in the country.