Nigeria stands as the world’s largest producer of cassava, a vital staple food and an increasingly important industrial raw material. However, despite its impressive overall production volume, Nigeria’s average cassava yield per hectare (around 6.3 tons in 2023) significantly lags behind that of Thailand (20.61 tons per hectare), a global leader in cassava export. This stark difference highlights key areas where Nigerian smallholder cassava farmers can learn from their Thai counterparts to unlock greater productivity and profitability.
What Thailand Smallholder Cassava Farmers Do Better:
Thai smallholder cassava farmers have achieved remarkable success by focusing on a few critical areas:
1. Strong Value Chain Integration and Market Orientation: Thailand’s cassava industry is highly integrated, with robust linkages between farmers, processors (for starch, pellets, chips, and bio-ethanol), and exporters. Farmers often cultivate specific varieties with high starch content to meet industrial demand, ensuring a ready market for their produce. This market-driven approach provides a clear incentive for farmers to invest in quality and yield.
2. Emphasis on Improved Varieties and Research & Development: Thailand has invested significantly in cassava breeding programs, often in collaboration with international centres like CIAT. This has led to the development and widespread adoption of high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties adapted to local conditions (e.g., Kasetsart 50, Rayong series). These varieties are not just productive but also possess desired characteristics for industrial processing.
3. Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Extension Services: Thai farmers are often supported by effective extension services that disseminate best practices in land preparation, planting, nutrient management, pest and disease control, and optimal harvesting times. This includes:
- a. Proper Soil Management: Practices like furrowing across slopes to prevent erosion, using organic fertilizers to improve soil organic matter, and precise application of chemical fertilizers based on soil tests.
- b. Quality Planting Materials: Emphasis on using healthy, disease-free stem cuttings from mature plants (8-12 months old) and proper handling/storage of these cuttings.
- c. Optimal Planting and Harvesting: Understanding the best planting times (often early rainy season) and harvesting age (typically 8-18 months for optimal starch content) to maximize yields.
- e. Pest and Disease Management: Proactive control measures, including resistant varieties and targeted interventions.
4. Mechanization and Contract Services: While smallholders, Thai farmers often utilize contractors for heavy cultivation tasks like ploughing and harvesting, which are often mechanized. This reduces labour costs and improves efficiency, especially for large-scale operations within the smallholder context.
5. Government Support and Policy Framework: The Thai government has played a crucial role in creating an enabling environment through support for infrastructure development (especially road networks for market access), R&D, and favourable loan and credit mechanisms for the processing industry.
