An Assessment of Cassava Processing Plants in Irepodun Local Government Areas, Kwara State, Nigeria

T.A. Adekanye^1, , S.I Ogunjimi² and A. O. Ajala²

¹Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

²Department of Agricultural economics and extension, Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

Cite this paper

T.A. Adekanye, S.I Ogunjimi and A. O. Ajala. An Assessment of Cassava Processing Plants in Irepodun Local Government Areas, Kwara State, Nigeria. World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2013; 1(1):14-17. doi: 10.12691/WJAR-1-1-4

Abstract

An assessment of cassava processing plant was conducted in Irepodun local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria to evaluate different cassava processing machinery being used by the processors, the common machines, and costs of machines, type of prime movers and sex of machine operators. The study was carried out in five communities and five cassava processing centres were selected from each of the community to give a total of twenty–five processing centres. Many of the processing centres were owned by private individuals. 292 cassava processing machines were observed altogether during the study and most of these were obsolete equipment. Grating machine, dewatering machine and milling machines were more prominent in the Local Government. The diesel engine was the only prime mover in all visited centres. Cassava processors preferred diesel despite its high cost, this may be as a result of incessant petrol scarcity and constant absence of electricity supply from Power Holding Company of Nigeria. This assessment showed that inappropriate and unaffordable cassava processing machinery is responsible for low level of cassava processing and utilization in Nigeria which is the largest cassava producer.

Keywords

adaptive technology, processors, machines, mechanization, operators

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

[1]	Rei Reinhardt H. Howeler, Christopher G. Oates and Antonio Costa Allem, Strategic environmental assessment: an assessment of the impact of cassava production and processing on the environment and biodiversity. Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations /International Fund for Agricultural Development, Rome, vol. 5: 7, 2001.
[2]	Kolawole,P.O., Agbetoye, L.A.S. and Ogunlowo, S.A., Sustaining world food security with improved cassava processing technology: The Nigeria Experience, 2010.
[3]	Stephen, K.A. and Eric, K.G. Modification of the designs of cassava grating and cassava dough pressing machines into a single automated unit. European Journal of Scientific Research 38(2):306-316, 2009.
[4]	Nyerhovwo, J.T. Cassava and the future of starch. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology 7(1), 2004.
[5]	Stephen. A. and Eric, K.G., Modification of the design of cassava grating and cassava Dough pressing machine into a single Automated Unit. European Journal of Scientific Research. 38 (2): 306-314, 2009.
[6]	Nweke F.I., Processing potential for cassava production growth in sub-Saharan Africa. COSCA Working Paper No 11, Collaborative Study of Cassava in Africa, IITA Nigeria, 1994.
[7]	Igbeka, J. C., Jory, N. and Griffon, D., Selective mechanization for cassava processing. Journal of Agriculture Mechanization in Asia and Latin America 23(1):45-50, 1992.
[8]	Odighoh, E. U., Cassava production, processing and utilization. In Chan Jr., H.T. (Ed.), Handbook of Tropical Foods. Marcel Dekker, Inc., 145-200, 1983.
[9]	Olayeni O.O., Gender analysis of training needs on the prevention of hazards associated with processing in Osun State, Nigeria. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, 75. 2012.
[10]	Omolehin, R.A.;Ogunfiditimi, T.O. Adeniji, O.B., Factors influencing adoption of chemical pest control in cowpea production among rural farmers in makarfi local government area of Kaduna state, Nigeria. 54-56, 2007.
[11]	Ogunjimi, S. I., K.S. Obaniyi and Adedeji I. A, Peri-urban and urban farmers’ perceptions of mini-livestock farming in southwestern Nigeria. The international journal’s Research Journal of Social Science and Management. 02(02):81-83 June-2012,
[12]	Jibowo A.A., Essentials of Rural sociology. Gbemi Sodipo press, Abeokuta, Nigeria. ‘Second Impression, pp 229-236, 2000.
[13]	Rogers E. M, Shoemaker P.C., Diffusion of innovations. The Free Press of Glancoe, N.Y., pp 367.
[14]	Adesoji S. A., Assessment of Fish farming management practices in Osun state Nigeria PhD Thesis Obafemi Awolowo University. 4-10, 2009.
[15]	Ajala, A.O., Ogunjimi, S.I and Farinde, A.J., Assessing the effectiveness of improved cassava production technologies among cassava farmers in Osun state, Nigeria Wudpecker Journal of Agricultural Research 1(7):281-288, August 2012.
[16]	Kehinde, A. T. Adefemi, J.O. Tayo, O.S. Michael and O.A. Obafemi Technology Choice and Technical capacity in Garri Production. Food Reviews international, 7 (1): 89, 2007.
[17]	Davies, R.M., M.O. Olatunji and W. Burubai, Mechanization of Cassava Processing in Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences 4 (3): 341-345, 2008.