Since 2005, Ghana has ranked sixth globally in terms of the volume of cassava produced. It is the most cultivated and widely used tuber crop across the country. In the domestic and international environment, the demand for cassava has grown and has served as a multipurpose crop with a wide range of benefits to the local consumer and the international community as well. The huge volumes coupled with the high demand for the commodity is an opportunity for Ghana to harness the economic potentials of the cassava crop, and how it will help spur growth and development in the country.
To achieve the immense opportunities of cassava production in the country, we need to take into consideration the following key factors.
Value Addition
Countries with high export earnings from international trade don’t value the export of commodities in its raw form. These countries however placed a high value on their crops through agro-processing and sell them off at higher prices. One will ask, “How can we attain the level where we can also command higher prices on the international market?” One of the solutions is value addition. Currently, cassava starch, which is the processed state of the raw cassava, is in high demand on the international market. When the cassava is being processed into starch, we will be able to sell them at a value which will be higher than the raw cassava. A ton of cassava starch costs USD 540. The commodity is needed for use in the pharmaceuticals, confectionary, textiles and various industries across the globe.
Industrialization
Through the inculcation of value addition, we create the room for industrialization. Value addition thrives on well-built infrastructures and factories. In the move to industrialize, we create employment opportunities for people, economic activities shoot up and there is an increase in foreign earnings and the GDP of the country increases. When a lot of people are employed, the country is able to generate more revenue through taxes.
Striving for economic excellence and harnessing the economic potential of cassava production in Ghana is highly needed to accelerate growth and development in the country. We need to take advantage of cassava production and boost economic activities.
“Since 2005, Ghana has ranked sixth globally in terms of the volume of cassava produced.”
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