For years, cassava farmers and processors in Apataim in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region have watched their hard work go to waste because of inadequate processing facilities.
The commissioning of a new cassava processing factory is now offering hope of reduced post-harvest losses, improved incomes and expanded business opportunities, particularly for women.
However, growing concerns over the conversion of farmlands into rubber plantations are raising questions about whether the community can produce enough cassava to sustain the new facility in the long term.
For Naomi Adiaba Gyamfi, an acheke producer in Apataim, cassava is more than a crop. It is a source of livelihood and a means of providing for her family.
Like many local processors, her business depends on a reliable supply of cassava and access to facilities that can simplify processing, reduce waste and increase production.
She believes the new factory will ease some of the challenges confronting processors, particularly the difficulty in accessing water and the high cost of production.
“It will help us in many ways because access to water has been a challenge here. With this facility, water is available, and all we need to do is bring our cassava for processing. The machines are also available, and we no longer have to search for firewood because the factory uses gas,” she said.
Cassava is a major source of livelihood in Apataim, where the crop is processed into local delicacies such as acheke and atukwu.
However, inadequate processing infrastructure has limited the economic benefits farmers and processors derive from the crop, with some produce going to waste because of a lack of suitable facilities and reliable markets.
National estimates indicate that Ghana loses about 12.5 per cent of its cassava harvest annually, equivalent to approximately 1.7 million tonnes, with the economic cost exceeding GH¢177 million.
The new factory is expected to help address these challenges by providing modern processing equipment to reduce post-harvest losses, improve productivity and create opportunities for value addition.
Speaking at the commissioning, the Member of Parliament for Evalue Ajomoro Gwira, Kofi Arko Nokoe, said the facility would ease the burden on farmers and processors, particularly women who have endured years of losses due to inadequate processing capacity.
“We know the pain of watching our cassava go to waste because there was no processing facility nearby. And that is why I am so happy that such a value-addition facility has come to Apataim.
“I know for sure that our women, who are mostly associated with cassava production, would benefit significantly from the burden, toil and hassle they go through,” he said.
Mr Nokoe explained that the facility was established under the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility, with financial support from the Government of Norway, to promote climate resilience and address locally identified development needs.
The factory comprises a modern processing plant, a processing shed and electric- and gas-powered equipment designed to improve efficiency and reduce production costs.
The MP expressed optimism that improved processing and packaging would enable cassava products from Apataim to reach markets beyond the Western Region, increasing the income potential of farmers and processors.
He urged farmers to increase production to take advantage of the new processing capacity and market opportunities.
“To our farmers, this is your factory. Increase your production. We have the processing capacity and we have the market to ensure that Apataim can benefit so much from our blessings, which are the resources we all depend on,” he said.
Despite the optimism surrounding the investment, concerns over dwindling farmland could undermine the factory’s long-term prospects.
Seventy-five-year-old cassava farmer Augustina Arthur fears that the expansion of rubber plantations is gradually reducing the land available for cassava cultivation, threatening the community’s ability to sustain production.
She warned that the situation could make it increasingly difficult to source cassava locally, potentially leaving the new factory without sufficient raw materials.
“As I stand here today, I fear that very soon we may no longer be able to cultivate cassava because most of the farmlands have been converted into rubber plantations. In the near future, it may become difficult to get cassava locally, leaving only a few farmers who still have land to cultivate the crop,” she said.
Her concerns highlight a critical challenge facing the investment: the need to ensure that increased processing capacity is matched by adequate and sustained cassava production.
In response to the concerns, the Municipal Chief Executive for Nzema East, Herbert Kuah Dickson, said the Assembly had secured more than six acres of land for cassava cultivation to support the factory’s raw material needs.
He said the intervention was intended to encourage production and ensure that the facility would have a reliable supply of cassava.
“Apataim is known for cassava production. Whenever they go to their farm, they don’t get suppliers and buyers. So now that we have this market for them, I think they are going to produce more cassava to feed this particular plant,” he said.
Mr Dickson added that the Assembly had already acquired land and planted cassava to supplement supplies from local farmers.
“We also have a cassava farm, so we’ve already bought the land. When you come here, you can see that we’ve planted some cassava around here. It is the Assembly that did it, just for us to get more raw materials to feed the factory,” he said.
The intervention is expected to complement production by local farmers, although the long-term sustainability of the factory will depend on whether the available farmland and cassava output can meet its processing needs.
Meanwhile, the Senior Programmes Manager at the Ministry of Local Government, Religious Affairs and Sanitation, Olivia Osei-Kofi, who represented the sector minister, Mahama Ayariga, urged the Nzema East Municipal Assembly and residents to take ownership of the facility.
She stressed the need for proper maintenance, protection and effective use of the investment to ensure that it delivers lasting economic benefits.
“To the leadership and staff of the Nzema East Municipal Assembly, Nananom, and the good people of Apataim and its adjoining communities, I urge you to take ownership of these investments, protect the facilities, and ensure their effective use and maintenance for the lasting benefit of present and future generations,” she said.
Ms Osei-Kofi called for continued collaboration to build greener, more inclusive and climate-resilient local economies that improve livelihoods, strengthen communities and contribute to Ghana’s sustainable development.
The Apataim cassava processing factory is expected to strengthen the local agricultural value chain, create employment and improve incomes, particularly for women engaged in cassava processing.
However, while the facility provides a new opportunity to reduce waste and expand businesses, its long-term success will depend on effective management, regular maintenance and a dependable supply of cassava.
For farmers such as Augustina Arthur, the challenge is ensuring that the land needed to feed the factory remains available. For processors such as Naomi Adiaba Gyamfi, the hope is that the investment will translate into more efficient production, stronger businesses and better livelihoods.
By Ebenezer Atiemo
