Ghana and four other African countries, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi are to benefit from a new cassava project, CAVA which is expected to boost the incomes of small-scale African farmers by linking them to new markets.  The four-year project seeks to improve the quality of cassava and make it competitive among other produce.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Gyiele Nurah said the project will help alleviate poverty because, it can be used as a substitute for wheat flour which is expensive to import.  He noted that the cost of harvesting cassava in the country is costly and this has compelled more farmers to shift to different crops. 

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, O.B. Amoah said cassava farmers will receive inputs at a subsidized rate to motivate more people to go into cassava cultivation.  The Minister called on the agricultural sector, the National Research Institute as well as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR to ensure proper integration and collaboration to make the project a success. 

The Director General of CSIR, Professor Emmanuel Owusu-Benoah said cassava will now be regarded highly considering the interest shown in it internationally.