Product development for root and tuber crops : 3. Africa

AGRICONGO (Institut de recherche et d'appui pour le développement agricole en zones tropicales) developed a project entitled new farming systems (NFS). This project is intended to implement peri-urban agriculture for city dwellers who want to go into small farm businesses. Because the Congo is importing a large part of its food, the project's first goal was to identify products for development. A basic project assumption was that the best way to reduce these imports was to modernize traditional foods. There was also a need to develop appropriate technologies in agronomy and food science. Work was done to design both a 1.5 ha NFS farm and integrated food processing facility. Farming techniques were tested at the research station level and the study included socioeconomic issues and farmer-level implementation of product marketing and commercialization. This report presents preliminary findings from 20 pilot NFS farms that were tested near Brazzaville. Food processing lines and their management are also described. Processed products made available to urban markets through the project were chikwangue (cassava bread) and cassava-based mixed flour for infant food. (Résumé d'auteur