Constraints to smallholders participation in Cassava value ... - aaacp

value chain development interventions by Government, NGOs and other donors which haveincluded distribution of IV planting materials,, installation of cassava processing plants, training ofgrowers and processors and establishment of market linkages for both producers and processors.Four sites within Chongwe were strategically selected to capture data from diverse categories offarmers.Figure 2Cassava production in ZambiaA stratified random sampling procedure was used to identify a total of 116 smallholder farmers asshown in Table 1. Four enumerators from among local MACO Area Agricultural Officers who wereknowledgeable of the region and the farmers applied questionnaires to randomly selected growersfrom their four Areas to meet the stratification requirements. Qualitative data were collectedthrough focus group discussions conducted by PAM staff, and further background information wasobtained through formal meetings with members of the strategy group and local FAO staff. The keyinformant interviews were conducted with the owner of a food processing firm (Authentic Foods),five public sector officials and two ‘key’ growers.Table 1 Smallholder sampleType of respondentNGrowing and commercialising improved cassava varieties 40Growing but not commercialising improved cassava varieties 26Growing only traditional cassava varieties 22Non-growers (including ex-growers) of cassava 2810