Bags of high quality cassava peel mash feed, Ibadan, Nigeria (Photo credit: ILRI/Iheanacho Okike)
With livestock production expected to more than double in the next 40 years, transforming cassava peels into high quality feed holds huge potential for African economies struggling to meet rapidly rising demand for animal-source products, according to research proposal recently published by three CGIAR centres.
Africa’s estimated 50 million tonnes of cassava peel waste per year could generate at least 15 million tonnes of HQCP, substantially addressing shortfalls in the supply of animal feed and eventually creating a USD 2 billion a year industry.
The research has been proposed by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and International Potato Center (CIP), with the support of CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) on Root Tubers and Bananas (RTB), Humidtropics, and Livestock and Fish. Working closely with private sector partners, ILRI is leading the effort to develop and improve innovative technologies for processing cassava peels into high quality livestock feeds.
Within five years, the proposal sets out to facilitate the production of high quality feed from cassava peels, creating approximately 100,000 jobs and eliminating more than 20% of dangerous cassava peels from the environment. According to the projections, the knock on effects could benefit the wider African economy by as much as USD900 million over the project life, enabling the private sector to become independent, and drive increased uptake of related technologies and product uses.
The CGIAR centres are seeking USD25 million to implement the five-year project and the proposed work will be undertaken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, responsible for at least 40% of Africa’s annual cassava production. The research is being led by ILRI Ibadan, in collaboration with IITA and the Humidtropics, Livestock and Fish and RTB CRPs; each of which is present in at least one of the four countries. ILRI and IITA Nigeria will serve as the hub for coordinating, evaluating and fine-tuning the project activities.
Approximately 98% of Nigeria’s cassava peels annually are wasted due to constraints associated with drying and concerns about safety of use, particularly hydrocyanide and mycotoxins-related food poisoning. Drying peels outside—practically impossible during the rainy season—takes two-three days otherwise. Consequently, peels are left to rot in heaps or set on fire—polluting the nearby air, soil and groundwater and wasting a potential feed resource.
In 2015, CGIAR scientists developed low-tech ways of transforming wet cassava peels into high quality, safe and hygienic feed ingredients within eight hours, producing one tonne of high quality cassava peel (HQCP) mash from three tonnes of wet peels. Thus, Africa’s estimated 50 million tonnes of cassava peel waste per year could generate at least 15 million tonnes of HQCP, substantially addressing shortfalls in the supply of animal feed and eventually creating a USD 2 billion a year industry on the continent.
Livestock producers would have access to better and cheaper feed, reducing operating costs and potentially boosting the quality and quantity of animal-source foods produced. In addition to the additional supply of grain available for human consumption, consumers would benefit from the availability of cheaper and better animal-source foods, improving health outcomes, particularly the cognitive health of children.
For a copy of the research proposal summary, Scaling the use of cassava peels as quality livestock feed in Africa, click here: http://hdl.handle.net/10568/69003
ILRI news 
do you encourage partnerships? I am an aspiring young entrepreneur in Ghana and we consume a lot of cassava.
i am interested in the business, pls can I come to your Ibadan office for more training on processing cassava peel?
You are welcome to visit us on IITA campus.
any WhatsApp class pls add me 08146150128
Very much interested in the business
I am very much interested in the business, could we talk either on phone or by mail before physical contact?
ILRI’s Anandan Samireddypalle says:
Thanks for your interest on our cassava peel processing technology. You can email me for further details on the cassava peel processing technology business for producing livestock feeds. If you are based in Nigeria you can visit us on IITA Campus in Ibadan for seeing the demonstration and further discussions.
A.Samireddypalle@cgiar.org
Mr David
Pls get in touch with me on
jowaldreams@yahoo.com ler us see if we can work together
Joshua
I am an electrical power technologist but wish and willing to go into poultry feed production using cassava peel, can I be assisted with adequate training?
Hi, i’m currently a pig farmer and would like to know the basics of setting up a cassava peel feed production unit(Equipment cost&Space requirement).
Eagerly awaiting your response .
Thank you.
Dear Motunrayo,
Kindly contact the ILRI country office in Nigeria. ILRI Ibadan is within the IITA campusIbadan Oyo state. You may contact t.amole@cgiar.org. Thanks
is training available for the cassava peel production and what will it cost
Kindly contact the ILRI country office in Nigeria. ILRI Ibadan is within the IITA campus Ibadan Oyo state. You may contact t.amole@cgiar.org. Thanks
Reblogged this on Dr. B. A. Usman's Blog.
I received this information through a friend
Please can I have direct Access to Agricultra related information?
Secondly, how can this pels get to the end users. The write up did not give details about this. I will like to explore my options.
Thanks
am from uganda the business is good how can i join is there any contact?
i want to be part of the business as i come from uganda an teso grows alot of cassava and peels wasted
This is very good innovation, could you please, let me have the contact of where to purchase the cassava peel feeds for my cattle and ram
For your large quantity of cassava peel, contact the supplier through this phone number- 07034613439.
I have a proposal already on this please am interested and I need more detail
I’m interested in this business. and I have lots of cassava peels to supply. call me on 08032536442
Hi,
My name is Alliu Omeiza Abiodun from Oyo state, am delighted to appreciate all the research team and the funder of this Project on the Africa soil and their sincere contribution towards Improving In jobs and food security In Africa.
I will be grateful if we Africa graduate or
those Who are interested in agriculture Can be train On this New innovation,
which is a source of Employment and development in our agriculture sector.
Thanks
Dear Alliu,
Thanks for your comments. Kindly send me a mail on t.amole@cgiar.org and we can include you in the training taking place at our Nigeria office within the IITA campus Ibadan. thanks
sir I am very much interested in this cassava peel because it has become a serious waste in the rural environment and my desire is to reduce the waste of it and converting it to economical value. how can I become a cassava peel supplier?
Thanks for your comments. Kindly send me a mail on t.amole@cgiar.org and we can include you in the training taking place at our Nigeria office within the IITA campus Ibadan. Please include your phone number and location. thanks
I have heard about the Cassava Peel Processing and also i have been to the IITA Campus of ILRI but I have not be able to attend the training, Pls I still need to know the period for the Training so that I can Schedule myself for the Training. Pls this a request.
Thanks for your comments. Kindly send me a mail on t.amole@cgiar.org and we can include you in the training taking place at our Nigeria office within the IITA campus Ibadan. Please include your phone number and location. You can also send a text message to 08033199376. thanks
Where is your office in ibadan