Successful Agricultural SMEs:

Case of Nkhotakota Cassava Processors Association

Outline

1. Identification of entrepreneurs

2. Training of Cassava Processors

3. Processing equipment

4. Linkage to Financial institution

5. Achievements

6. Challenges

1. Identification of entrepreneurs

• Attended sensitization meetings at local trading centres -by Total LandCare in KK, LL, SA.

• Completed personal information forms

(type of business, financial assets, access to banks & credit, interest in new enterprise)

Criteria used to select

• Have sound financial capital and assets

• An established link with a financial institution

• Has ability to procure cassava processing equipment

• 6 entrepreneurs (1F, 1 in SA and 5 in KK).

2. Training of Cassava Processors

Selected candidates went through a series of trainings:

1. Business management- July 08

Training Cont’d

2. Cassava production and processing - July 08

Training (cont’d)

3. Lessons on management and operations of an association (Field visit) – September 08

4. Introduction to potential cassava markets (visits to agro-industry)- Sept & Nov 08

Training cont’d

5. Quality management systems for production and utilization of HQCF – Nov 2008

6. Hands on-Processing operations for Flour HQCF, fermented cassava products using the grate and press method. July 2010

3. Cassava Processing Equipment

• Comprised a chipper, grater, hydraulic press and hammer mill- in January of 2009.

Chipper Grater

1-ton hydraulic press Hammer mill

• .

4. Linkage with Financial institution

• More funds were required for construction of processing facilities for compliance to national Standards for food processing

• Project provided a seed loan fund, on condition that it be managed by a financial institution and NBS showed interest to work with the project.

Linkage cont’d

• Project created a loan fund equiv to US$25,000 for members to access.

• Each member got a loan of about $2,000 on 15% interest rate, to use for buying construction material.

Processing house

Processing houses

5. Achievements

• Members have technical knowledge on how to process HQCF

• Each member has constructed processing premises compliant to MBS

• Have processed 2500 kg of HQCF and 500 kg sent to manufactures for test runs.

• Association nationally recognized and participates in public events

achievements

6. Challenges

• Insufficient funds for buying fresh cassava

• Need for solar driers HQCF processing is best done in dry hot weather, however, farmers harvest cassava when its about planting time inorder to access cuttings for next crop.

Office

Thank you!