New Technology News By Leo Odera Omolo

Tanzania has once again moves ahead of its other partners in the East Africa Community (EAC) by inventing anew technology.

The national Development Corporation of Tanzania will build USd 1.9 million cassava chips plant in a joint venture with the Japan Development Institute, to produce Cassava Chips and flour for consumption and the industrial production biothenal.

The plant, to be built on 20,000 hectares of cassava plantation, will operate under the Mtwara Development Corridor and will have 10 processing factories for every 5,000 hectares.

According to Pascal Matesa of the Mtwara development Corridor, the plant will produce more than eight million tones per annum of dry cassava for export.

“Formal expression of interest for the project has been submitted to Bindi and Mtwara regions for consideration although we have identified forms that operated under the failed groundnut scheme of Nachingwea district in Bindi region,: said Matesa.

The Cassava project will introduce an out growers scheme, which will require small-scale farmers to cultivate at least one hectare each so as to have at least 30,000 hectares per scheme.

The Cassava project had coincided with the common Fund for commodities financing the second phase of a cassava project that will see new market prospects fro cassava in east Africa.

Phase one of the CFC-financial cassava project has already completed the pilot stage in five countries in east and Southern Africa.

Mr. Nicholas Cromme of CFC was recently quoted as saying that the second phase-focusing on creating sustainable links between suppliers, manufacturers and consumers will begin as soon as the evaluation of project activities in Tanzania, Zambia, Madagascar, Uganda and Mozambique has been completed this year.

The first phase addressed the expansion of marketing opportunities for small holders farmers, reducing dependence on traders, improved quality of intermediate cassava products and encourages products by a variety of end-users.

Traditionally, sun-dried cassava flower is labour-intensive product, which has little consumer demand because of its low and meager profit margins. It also has a shelf life of only four-six months is susceptible to communication because of poor quality control, has undesirable appearance and smell low starch quality and high residual cynogens which are hazardous to human.

Phase of the project introduced advanced processing technology developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, which had already been adapted in West Africa where it revolutionized the industry by generating new and increased market opportunities for local farmers.

The new technology consist of a sample compressor mechanized grader, muler and drying equipment to help improve production while enhancing product quality.

It yields high quality cassava flour that is not fermented and in more hygienic. The flour that contains less cynogens tasted and looks better and has an almost limitless shelf life as well as improved starch and nutritional qualities. It also reduces total production time to four days to 24 hours

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:35:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: TANZANIA TO PRODUCE CASSAVE CHIP, FLOUR AND BIOTHENAL WITH JAPANESE HELP