JOSEPH OLANYO

Kampala Uganda - Standards for cassava and potato products in the five East African Community countries have been recommended for approval for implementation.

The process towards regional root crops standards, focusing on cassava and sweet potato, was spearheaded by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) in 2006.

UNBS compiled a list of 14 standards, and using the EAC template, formally sent the proposal to the other four countries for consideration and adoption as regional standards. This proposal was tabled before the EAC Standards technical sub-committee and approved in November in Arusha, Tanzania.

The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) at her vantage position as a sub-regional research organisation, supported technical departments of the Burundi Bureau of Standards (BBN), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and UNBS to convene consultative workshops in the respective countries to discuss the zero drafts in November to December 2009.

According to Dr. Michael Waithaka, the manager for ASARECA Policy Analysis and Advocacy programme (PAAP), UNBS in early 2010 collated the comments and prepared them for discussion at a regional forum held from March 22 -24, 2010, in Kigali, Rwanda.

Participants included representatives from the national standards technical committees, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Institute for Potato Research (CIP), cassava and potato researchers, and the vice-person of Uganda's parliamentary committee on agriculture and environment Mr Lastus Serunjogi.

Eleven draft standards were presented to the Eastern Africa Standards technical sub-committee at a meeting held in Arusha from May 10-12, 2010. The committee recommended the adoption of the standards by the EAC Council of Ministers in their next session.

The harmonized standards recommended are EAS 738: Fresh sweet cassava specification, EAS 739: Dried cassava chips - specification, EAS 740: Cassava flour - specification, EAS 741: Cassava wheat composite flour - specification, EAS 742: Food grade cassava starch - specification and EAS 743: Cassava crisps - specification.

Others are EAS 744: Cassava - determination of total cyanogens, EAS 745: Potato crisps - specification, EAS 746: Frozen potato chips - specification, EAS 747: Fried potato chips - specification and EAS 748: Fresh (ware ) potato - specification Waithaka explained that ASARECA's contribution to the standards dates back to 2006 when three ASARECA networks, the Eastern Africa Root Crops Research Network (EARRNET), the Eastern and Central Africa Potato Research Network (PRAPACE), and the Eastern and Central Africa Programme for Agricultural Policy Analysis (ECAPAPA) initiated a project on development of standards for root crops in the region.

"The project aims to harmonise quality standards of root crops to allow the inclusion of cassava and potato products in the production of high value industrial products such as confectionery and animal feeds and promote trade in cassava and potato products," Dr. Waithaka said.

Cassava and potato have been identified as crops with a potential to spur poverty reduction and growth in East C and Central Africa (ECA).

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), has for instance, launched a Pan African Cassava Initiative (PACI) that seeks to tap the enormous potential of the crop for food security and income generation.

Consequently, cassava has been prioritised as a strategic commodity in the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Pillar III and IV as a means to increasing food supply, reducing hunger and improving responses to emergency food crises.

A statement from ASARECA said on May 26 that some of the factors constraining realisation of the potential of root crops, including cassava and potato are market failures manifested in lack of key institutions and frameworks to enhance efficient marketing along the commodity value-chain.

It said most countries in ECA lack standards necessary for commercial utilisation of cassava and potato.

In addition, it said, value-addition technologies, though well developed for some products, are still under-utilised due to a lack of clear guidelines on standards and supportive policies.

Efforts by key stakeholders in the value-chain are disintegrated with no clear partnership structures crucial to a well-functioning producer to market value-chain.

"Most root crops are perishable, high-volume, low-value commodities in their raw state. Standards for processing enable a reduction in postharvest losses and the procurement of surplus quantities for processing and marketing.

Processing would improve storability, reduce unit marketing costs and ultimately stabilise prices received by farmers for their food produce. Value addition through product development can enable smallholders to access different niche markets," the statement sent to East African Business Week said.

Cassava and potato, despite their strategic role in reducing hunger in Africa, also hold high industrial potential for food, feed and industrial raw materials though their value is not fully developed.

To enhance the value of these crops, conducive policy frameworks that support commercialisation of these crops is necessary.