Cassava development : pilot project in Ceara, northeast Brazil : integrated production, processing and commercialization of dry cassava chips for animal consumption March 1989 - June 1992 : final report | [Desarrollo de la yuca : proyecto piloto en CEARA noreste Brasilero : produccion integrada, procesamiento y comercializacion del ripio de yuca seca para consumo animal. Marzo 1989 - Junio 1992 : informe final]

The present report contains a description of the activities and results obtained in the project "Cassava Development: Integrated Production, Processing and Commercialization of Dry Cassava for Animal Consumption in Ceara, Northeast Brazil." The overall objective of the project was to improve the welfare of poor rural communities involved in cassava production, processing and commercialization activities throughout the main cassava producing areas of the State of Ceara, through the introduction and adoption of improved technologies as well as appropriate organizational forms for institutions and farmer groups. The main project implementation strategy was to establish a pilot project aimed at providing the experience required to develop local institutional capacity to carry out cassava-based rural development projects on behalf of the target group. The project was executed jointly by the Centro lnternacional de Agricultura Tropical, CIAT and the Ceara State Secretariat of Agriculture and Land Reform-SEARA, through its affiliate agencies EMATERCE (technical assistance and rural extension) and EPACE (agricultural research). The principal accomplishments were as follows: - The selection of the State of Ceara as the site for implementing the pilot project was well justified. The fact that local counterpart agencies had been involved in previous activities related to small-scale cassava farmer processing served as a basis on which to build the organizational and institutional intervention catalyzed by the Kellogg Foundation-funded project. Moreover, the existence of a working group that included policymakers and technicians highly motivated toward cassava development: and further stimulated by their exposure to similar projects and participation in overseas training activities, greatly facilitated project implementation. - The building of local institutional capacity and support for project activities progressed steadily during the span of the pilot project. The existing state-level cassava committee was strengthened, becoming a well-recognized statewide coordinating body for all activities related to the cassava crop. Moreover, the establishment of seven regional cassava committees (RCC) in the main areas of project influence made it possible to decentralize project activities quickly and efficiently. The RCCs have also been instrumental in facilitating and enhancing farmer groups' participation in project implementation, as well as the contacts and exchange of experiences among extension agents involved in project activities. - The building of local capacity among farmers was a very important achievement, with a total of 147 cassava-based farmer organizations established during the pilot project. Another 11 producer groups existing before the project were reorganized and reactivated. The total number of project beneficiaries in the 158 groups now exceeds 3100 farmers.