Obiakor, S. C.*, Ehiosun, P.E.**, Ademiluyi, Y. S.*, Dada-Joel, O. T.**, Ogini, F. U.**, Ayuba, L. O.*, Onah, O. R. ***, Willoughby, F. A.**, Ojo, O. A.** and Onyemize, U. C.*
*Processing and Storage Engineering Department,
**Farm Power and Machinery Department,
***Agro Industrial Extension and Engineering Department
National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
E-mail: chuksobisyl@yahoo.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13133799
ABSTRACT
Cassava is a crop that is of great importance in Nigeria. The Nigerian government of Buhari-Osinbajo led has shown concerns about diversifying the country’s economy, and agriculture is one of the major sectors considered for the diversification of the economy. The National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Ilorin, for this sole purpose in 2018 carried out a National Mechanization survey exercise in Cross River State to ascertain the present level of agricultural mechanization obtainable for cassava processing, to identify areas in the processing operation of cassava roots into various products like garri and flour that needs urgent attention in the State. The Snowball technique of data collection was used to identify active cassava processing centres and structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents in the study areas. Descriptive statistical analysis involving frequency counts and percentages in a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data obtained. Survey results indicated that there are nine (9) cassava processing unit operations involved in the processing of cassava roots into various products; cassava peeling, washing and garification unit operations were dominated by manual processing methods with values of 98.25, 73.88 and 71.93% in all the cassava processing units visited in the State. It was also observed that the sum of 39.76% was recorded for the mechanical processing method for the nine (9) cassava processing unit operations such as grating, dewatering and milling operations resulting in this figure. This 39.76% value obtained for mechanical involvement for the processing of cassava in the State calls for urgent attention of the cross-river State government to increase the percentage of cassava processing machines used for cassava roots processing for each of the unit operations in the State. It is therefore concluded that cassava processing mechanization in the Cross River State of Nigeria at the time of this study, is marginally lower than manual processing. Therefore, technological innovations through sustainable agricultural mechanization training to farmers will offer great potential to enhance the cassava value chain through collaborations.
KEYWORDS: Cassava, Processing, Mechanization, Level