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Project Record

Objectives:

To improve access to markets for a processed cassava product (fufu) and develop an approach that ensures that any improved technology will not simply increase the income potential of particular groups, but will provide overall maximum benefit to the sustainable livelihoods of poor people.

Background:

Cassava is cultivated and consumed as a staple food throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Needs assessment studies in Ghana have shown that accessing new markets with their crops would provide cassava farmers with an important means of increasing incomes. It is likely that this is a common phenomenon across West Africa. Findings from the collaborative study of cassava in Africa indicate that the majority of cassava consumed in Africa is fermented. The widespread importance of cassava (roots, leaves and processed products) to poor rural farmers, processors, and both rural and urban consumers, means that investments in the processing of the crop are likely to have a positive impact on both urban and rural livelihoods. As urban populations expand, so the demand for more convenient and shelf-stable foods will increase. Some cassava foods, such as gari and attieke, are highly prized by urban populations, and these have managed to retain their markets. Other products, such as fufu, have become less important to urban consumers, and this has been associated with their perishability. This project will explore the potential for commercialising the processing of fufu in Nigeria. Research has shown that widespread processing of fufu takes place in rural areas in this country. The project addresses the broad issue of improving livelihoods that are dependent upon cassava. The majority of cassava used in Africa is processed into traditional products, a process which often requires high labour inputs from women. This project aims to define how one specific product, fufu, whose market potential is currently under-exploited, can be processed and commercialised in such a way that it will have the maximum possible positive impact on livelihoods, and so contribute to the emergence from poverty.

Intended Outputs:

Analysis of the existing contribution of traditional cassava processing to rural livelihoods.

Validation of the options to improve fufu processing and commercialise it.

Definition of how cassava processing could be commercialised to give the maximum benefits to sustainable rural livelihoods.

Confirmation of uptake pathways and dissemination of project outputs.

Progress and Impact:

An analysis of the contribution of traditional processing to rural livelihood in five villages in south-west Nigeria was made.

Data from the livelihoods survey has provided understanding of the relative importance of the production of wet paste fufu and ready-to-eat fufu to local livelihoods in five locations, both urban and rural. Wet paste processing takes place on a larger scale than the production of the ready-to-eat fufu, provides higher incomes for processing families, and is closely tied to urban markets. The relationship between method and scale of processing and access to resources was analysed. Access to water, economic and social capital and credit is particularly critical. In only one location was the purchase and renting of technology to facilitate fufu processing common practice. Sharing of information by researchers during data collection and subsequent discussions with processors led to the construction of improved water tanks in one location. A thorough review of the pilot level research and the baseline livelihoods/ marketing information has led to the following conclusions. The project will focus efforts on locations that produce wet paste. Low-tech, low cost improvements to processing such as the construction of water tanks and the use of ,double fermentation, will be promoted at Ereji as a test case. Capital intensive technical interventions aimed at commercialising fufu (e.g. the development of a new dried product), if found to be technically and economically feasible, should be focussed on processors at Ode Remo in the first instance.

Two fufu driers were designed and built by local fabricators. One of the drier uses electricity, charcoal or gas while the other smaller unit uses only charcoal. The working operations and drying conditions and efficiencies of the driers have been investigated to establish the optimum drying conditions. Smoke, oven and rotary drying methods were also evaluated and was found that rotary dried fufu was the most preferred in sensory evaluation studies. Rotary dried fufu was recommended for further studies in terms of storage stability and economics of production.

A processing technology has been developed for village level production of dried fufu flour using a simple drier that can operate in areas with or without electricity. The drier can be operated with wood or charcoal while a large capacity model is also available that can be operated with electricity. The project team have interacted with local fufu producers in many towns across Ogun, Lagos and Oyo states with open demonstrations of our improved fufu technology.

Dried products have been subjected to sensory and consumer evaluation exercises in three cities using 300 consumers. Dried fufu was preferred in two of the three locations to traditional fufu, but in all sites a modified wet fufu product was most acceptable.

As agreed by CPHP management, this project is providing co-financing to a slightly broader EC funded project (CASSAVA-SMEs) that will build up and extend the outputs of the current project. As part of this new relationship, work has been initiated on the processing of another cassava product related to fufu, tapioca. Preliminary studies have indicated that there is little effect of variety on product quality, but roasting method does have a significant effect.

An on-going issue that has been incorporated into the CASSAVA-SMES project is the definition of how cassava processing could be commercialised to give the maximum benefits to sustainable rural livelihoods. The project has generated significant amounts of baseline data to enable this and a draft framework for analysis is being constructed. The ability to bring in project data from Ghana and the greater amount of time testing technologies beyond pilot scale will allow a much better product to be prepared.

A number of dissemination outputs (including a fufu video) have been prepared. More w

Project Conclusions:

Strategies developed and promoted which improve food security of poor households through increased availability and improved quality of root crop and horticultural foods, and better access to markets. The project has put in place the majority of the background knowledge, basic science of processing etc. that will enable, systems to be put in place to increase farmers' incomes from fufu processing. This will be carried forward as part of the CASSAVA-SMEs project. There was a slight change in emphasis towards the end of the project when the CPHP indicated the project could be extended to overlap with the CASSAVA-SMEs project. The project concentrated on consolidating the technical aspects of the work, and although work has been initiated on developing the framework on how cassava products could be commercialised to have the maximum benefits on sustainable livelihoods it will be concluded in the CASSAVA-SMEs project. This project and the CASSAVA-SME's project were designed to be integrated parts of a whole.

General Notes:

See also the TECA Record Improving cassava fufu production methods to reduce environmental costs and increase earning potential

Publications:

Sanni LO, Akingbala JO, Westby A, Bainbridge ZA and Graffham AJ (2000). A note on the effect of simple changes to the processing variables on the acidity and sensory properties of fufu, a fermented cassava product. Tropical Science



OYEWOLE, O.B., SANNI, L.O., DIPEOLU, A.O., ADEBAYO, K., AYINDE, I.A., PEARCE, D.M., TOMLINS, K. and WESTBY, A. (2001) Improved processing technology for the fermentation of cassava fufu. Presentation at the Eleventh World Congress of Food Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea.



OYEWOLE, O.B., SANNI, L.O., DIPEOLU, A.O., ADEBAYO, K., AYINDE, I.A., WHITE, J.L., TOMLINS, K.I. and WESTBY, A. (2001) Factors influencing the quality of Nigerian fufu. Poster presented at the Eighth Triennial Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops-Africa Branch, Benin. 12-16 November 2001. [Scientific Poster]



WESTBY, A. (2001) Improved processing technology for processing of cassava fufu. Presentation to His Excellency Prince Bola Adesumbo Ajibola KBE, Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.



WESTBY, A., WHITE, J., NGENDELLO, T., OYEWOLE, O., DZIEDZOAVE, N.T., GRAFFHAM, A. and VAN OIRSCHOT Q. (2001) Approaches for the development of small scale cassava processing and local food industries that meet the needs of the poor. Presented at the Eighth Triennial Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops-Africa Branch. 12-16
November 2001



ADEBAYO, K. (2002) The role of fufu processing in local livelihoods - A Case Study of Ereji, South-West Nigeria. UNAAB, Abeokuta, Nigeria.



ADEBAYO, K. (2001) The role of fufu processing in local livelihoods - A Case Study of Ode Remo Town, South-West Nigeria. UNAAB, Abeokuta, Nigeria. 35 pp.



ADEBAYO, K. (2001) The role of fufu processing in local livelihoods - A Case Study of Ilaro Town, South-West Nigeria. UNAAB, Abeokuta, Nigeria. 15 pp.



WESTBY, A. (2001) Commercialisation of fufu processing in Nigeria. Summary of Project Progress. Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Chatham, UK.



WHITE, J.L. and ADEBAYO, K. (2002) Preliminary Analysis of Potential to Improve/Scale up Fufu Processing Activities in Study Locations. 6 pp.



SANNI, L.O., AKINGBALA, J.O., OYEWOLE, O.B., BAINBRIDGE, Z.A., GRAFFHAM, A.J. and WESTBY, A. (2002) Effects of air drying conditions on the chemical, pasting and sensory properties of Fufu, a fermented cassava product pp.100-103. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Symposium of The International Society for Tropical Root Crops: Potential of Root Crops for Food and Industrial Resources. Nakatani, M. and Komaki, K. (Eds.)



WESTBY, A., WHITE, J., COLLINSON, C., KAPINGA, R., AND GRAFFHAM A. (2002) Matching the potential of root crops as commercial commodities with the needs of the poor. p.14. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Symposium of The International Society for Tropical Root Crops: Potential of Root Crops for Food and Industrial Resources. . Nakatani, M. and Komaki, K. (Eds.)



ADEBAYO, K., WHITE, J. L., DIPEOLU, A. O., AYINDE, I. A., WANDSCHNEIDER, T. S., SANNI, L. O., OYEWOLE, O. B., TOMLINS, K. and WESTBY, A. (2003) Fufu processing and the sustainability of livelihoods in Southwest Nigeria. Technical Report, Project R7495. Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Chatham, Kent, UK. 19 pp.



ADEBAYO, K., WHITE, J. L., DIPEOLU, A. O., AYINDE, I. A., WANDSCHNEIDER, T. S., SANNI, L. O., OYEWOLE, O. B., TOMLINS, K. and WESTBY, A. (2003) Innovativeness and stakeholdership in the fufu processing systems in southwest Nigeria. Technical Report Project R7495. Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Chatham, Kent, UK. 18 pp.



SANNI, L.O., OYEWOLE, O.B., DIPEOLU, A.O., AYINDE, I.A., ADEBAYO, K., WANDSCHNEIDER, T.S., WHITE, J.L., TOMLINS, K. and WESTBY, A. (2002) Consumer acceptability of traditional (wet) and dried Nigerian fufu. Natural Resources Institute, Chatham, Kent, UK. 18 pp.



TOMLINS, K. I., SANNI, L. O., OYEWOLE, O. B., DIPEOLU, A. O., AYINDE, I. A., ADEBAYO, K. , WANDSCHNIEIDER, T. S., WHITE, J. L. and WESTBY, A. (2002) Urban consumer acceptability of traditional (wet) and dried Nigerian fufu. Natural Resources Institute, Chatham, Kent, UK. 13 pp.



WHITE, J. L., ADEBAYO, K., DIPEOLU,O. A., AYINDE, I. A., OYEWOLE, O. B., SANNI, L. O., WESTBY, A., WANDSCHNIEIDER, T. S. and TOMLINS, K. (2002) Fufu processing and livelihoods in Ogun State, Nigeira. DFID Crop Protection Programme Project A0898. Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Chatham, Kent, UK and UNAAB. 34pp.



WESTBY, A., VAN OIRSCHOT, Q., TOMLINS, K.,NDUNGURU, G., NGENDELLO, T.,KAPINGA, R.,SANNI, L.and OYEWOLE, O. (2003) Root and tuber crop post-harvest systems: lessons learned and future Interventions to contribute to food security and poverty alleviation. Invited thematic paper presented at the 13th triennial Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops, 8-15 November 2003, Arusha, Tanzania. http://www.istrcsymp-tz.org/ISTRC%20Presentation4.pdf



ADEBAYO, K., WHITE, J. L., AYINDE, I. A., SANNI, L. O., OYEWOLE, O. B., DIPEOLU, A. O. and WESTBY, A. (2003). Fufu processing and sustainable livelihoods in southwest Nigeria. Paper presented at the FoodAfrica initiative held at the Palais du Congres, Yaounde, Cameroon, May, 2003.



AYINDE, I.A., DIPEOLU, A.O., ADEBAYO, K., OYEWOLE, O.B., SANNI, L.O., JUNAH, A. and WESTBY, A. (2004). A cost benefit analysis of the processing of a shelf stable cassava fufu in Nigeria. Poster presented at Sixth International Scientific Meeting of the Cassava Biotechnology Network, March 8-14, Cali, Colombia.



DIPEOLU, A. O. AYINDE, I. A., ADEBAYO, K., OYEWOLE, O. B., SANNI, L. O., PEARCE, D. M. WANDSCHNEIDER, T. S., WHITE, J. L. and WESTBY A. (2003) ,Challenges facing the cassava processing industries in meeting urban food needs in Nigeria, Paper presented at the FoodAfrica initiative held at the Palais du Congres, Yaounde, Cameroon, May, 2003.



SANNI, L. O., OYEWOLE, O. B., OLUWAKAYODE, F. A., DIOEOLU, A. O., ADEBAYO, K., AYINDE, I. A. WHITE, J. L., TOMLINS, K. and WESTBY, A. (2003). ,Effect of smoking, oven and locally fabricated rotary drying on the qualities of fufu,. Paper presented at the FoodAfrica initiative held at the Palais du Congres, Yaounde, Cameroon, May, 2003.



SANNI, L., ONIHILO, M., OYEWOLE, O.B., TOMLINS, K. and WESTBY, A. (2004) Studies into the production and qualities of cassava grits (Tapioca) in Nigeria. Poster presented at Sixth International Scientific Meeting of the Cassava Biotechnology Network, March 8-14, Cali, Colombia.



SANNI, L.O., OYEWOLE, O. B., AKINYEMI, A. O., BANKOLE, M.O., DIPEOLU, A. O. ADEBAYO, K., AYINDE, I. A., WHITE, J. L., TOMLINS, K. and WESTBY, A (2003c). Physicochemical, microbial, and sensory qualities of dried fufu from various fufu processors in Southwest Nigeria., Proceedings of the 1st Nigerian Drying Symposium 1, 77-84 (Edited by Kuye et al., 2003) at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, October 2003.



SANNI, L.O., AKINGBALA, J.O., OYEWOLE, O.B ., BAINBRIDGE, Z.A., GRAFFHAM, A.J. and WESTBY, A. (2000) Effects of air drying conditions on the chemical, pasting and sensory properties of fufu, a fermented cassava product. Paper presented at the Triennial Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops, Japan, 10-16 September 2000.

Associated References:

R6508