VALIDATION FORUM ON THE GLOBAL CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

IFAD STATEMENT

K. van de Sand
Assistant Director, Project Management Department

The Director of AGP and colleagues at FAO, distinguished visitors from overseas - government officials, scientists from the research centres, members of the private and civil sectors, and representatives of development agencies, including my IFAD colleagues.

Welcome to this important meeting - a "Forum" to validate the Global Cassava Development Strategy - and where else to hold a "Forum" but in Rome?

IFAD’s mandate is the alleviation of rural poverty through agricultural development, and the importance of the cassava crop in this context became apparent at an early stage of IFAD’s existence. However, it was not until 1996 that the development of a global strategy for cassava development began. Which, incidentally was before I joined IFAD, therefore I am pleased that Mr Cheikh Sourang has been able to join us to make a keynote presentation during the opening session this morning, as it was Cheikh who played a leadership role during most of the process that has resulted in the Global Cassava Development Strategy. I trust that Cheikh will take us back to the beginning of the process and highlight once again the issues that led to the initiation of this important activity. As most of you already know Cheikh took on a new challenge last year when he moved to the Global Mechanism of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

During the process which led to the drafting of the Global Strategy (as we came to know it in IFAD), we were fortunate to have the support of a number of organizations and institutions - and I pay tribute to these. FAO, the co-sponsor of this event, has been fully supportive throughout. CIAT, IITA, CIRAD, NRI, IDRC, and the World Bank also provided support by sponsoring the participation of an impressive group of cassava specialists - many of whom have continued to play a key role in the four years of cassava strategy-related activities that culminated in this meeting.

I expect that Cheikh Sourang will tell us about the many studies that were sponsored by IFAD, FAO, IDRC and other agencies. I will limit my comments to applauding the hard work put in by the teams involved at the national, regional and global level. These reports presented the information and generated the knowledge represented in the Global Cassava Development Strategy that we have here in front of us.

During the process leading to the cassava strategy, expectations have been raised. "What happens next?" is in the forefront of many minds. "Is this the end of the road?" or a "Break in the journey?". We at IFAD trust that our support to the cassava strategy will be seen to represent the initiation of an on-going process with a multi-agency Task Force to take it forward. We recognize that implementation at the national and regional level will be an important next step.

Whilst IFAD remains fully committed to cassava development, we recognize our limitations, one of which is our lack of representation at the national and regional levels. It is for this reason that we were very pleased to learn of FAO’s keen interest in taking forward the Cassava Strategy into the implementation phase. Not only does FAO have the national and regional representation that IFAD lacks, it also has a cadre of expert staff in all aspects of cassava; production, processing, marketing and utilization - as we shall see from presentations during the next two days. It is therefore my pleasure to entrust the implementation of the cassava strategy to FAO’s capable hands. IFAD is available to participate as a member of the Task Force if it is considered appropriate at this meeting.

Finally, before I formally declare this "Forum" open, I would like to thank the organising committee chaired by FAO’s Mr Marcio Porto for the hard work that they put into making this event happen.

Thank you and enjoy the Forum!

FAO STATEMENT AND WELCOME ADDRESS

Dr M. Duwayri
Director, Plant Production and Protection Division

The Assistant President of IFAD,
Representatives of Donor Community and Private Sectors,
Distinguished Delegates and Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour to welcome you today on behalf of FAO. This Forum, jointly organized by IFAD and FAO provides an opportunity for taking stock on progress made so far in the formulation of the Global Cassava Development Strategy. It is my greatest pleasure to be here with you and be part of this coalition of stakeholders, including the representatives of farmers' associations, non-governmental organizations, donor agencies, policy-makers, universities, research and development institutions and their networks, and the private sector.

At a time when a variety of approaches to poverty alleviation are being considered, increased attention is being paid to food security. In this regard, in 1994 FAO launched the Special Programme for Food Security to help countries to improve food security - through rapid increases in food production and by reducing year-to-year variability - on an economically and environmentally sustainable basis. Under this initiative cassava deserves special attention.

It is easy to understand the importance given by FAO to cassava, a crop of American origin that has spread across the tropical world to become one of the most strategic food crops in Africa, while maintaining its importance in Latin America and Asia.

It is often said that cassava is a poor man's crop and this is true. The broad agro-ecological adaptability of cassava and its ability to produce reasonable yields where most crops cannot, makes it the basis for food security at household level and an important source of dietary energy. Proof that cassava can significantly contribute to solve food insecurity was demonstrated in the recent FAO publication on The State of Food Insecurity in the World. One of the reasons why Ghana was able to reduce the number of undernourished people was the impact of a 39% increase in cassava yields at farmer's level. Ghana reduced undernourishment more rapidly than any other country in the world and its average food intake soared from 1 790 calories per day to more than 2 600 calories.

Restricting the role of cassava to a "subsistence crop" is not enough and is unfair. Cassava is also a good industrial raw material, as demonstrated by the numerous products manufactured from its roots. Latin America and Asia are increasingly using cassava to produce native and modified starches, which can compete with cereals and bring higher income for developing countries. The example of Thailand, which used the full potential of the crop to export massive amounts of chips and pellets for the crucial feed sectors in Europe, is a clear one.

However, the potential and the importance of cassava is often not fully appreciated by governments of developing countries, perhaps because they are too accustomed to seeing cassava as a native crop that does not deserve as high a status as imported products. Cassava itself, with its ability to produce well under very marginal conditions maybe responsible for this lack of interest! This has to be changed and the potential of cassava as a strategic crop for the tropics will have to be recognized and exploited.

An important question posed in the Cassava Strategy Document is: "can cassava, a traditional subsistence food crop, become the raw material base for an array of processed products and industrial development and thereby contribute to agricultural transformation and economic growth in developing countries?" We believe that with a clear commitment from all types of stakeholders we can promote agricultural development taking cassava as the driving force.

I am pleased to confirm that FAO is committed to assisting member countries in implementing the Cassava Strategy at national, regional and international level. In this regard, attention will be given to strengthening linkages and partnerships, with a view to enhancing and supporting the cassava commodity chain. Special emphasis will be given to the management and exchange of information and knowledge for the development of value-added products from integrated projects through better definition of priorities, adoption of improved and responsible technologies. Sound mechanisms for coordination of interventions and investment efforts will be put in place to reduce duplication and, optimise cross-fertilisation and economies of scale.

I would like to commend IFAD for its role in launching this initiative, and IFAD and IDRC for the financial support provided during the formulation of the strategy and in the organization of this Forum. I also thank the main collaborating institutions (CIAT, CIRAD, IITA and NRI), the experts from countries who prepared Country Case studies, and the large number of representatives of both the public and private sectors who attended the five regional consultations held in 1998 and 1999. I am confident that discussions for the endorsement of the strategy and its related implementation plan of actions will be fruitful.

I wish you a successful meeting and declare the Validation Forum officially open.

Thank you all for your attention.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Rehabilitating a long-neglected crop, as a demand-driven approach to poverty alleviation: Background and objectives, achievements and challenges

Cheikh M. Sourang
Senior Programme Manager
Global Mechanism, IFAD

Distinguished Delegates,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Four years ago, an international brainstorming meeting was convened by IFAD in Rome, to articulate a vision and initiate a process of strategic planning, to promote the development of cassava as a staple food and a source of income for hundreds of millions of poor people in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Today, on the occasion of a much awaited Forum to validate what is known as the Global Cassava Development Strategy (GCDS), it is my privilege to present an overview of the progress made and the challenges ahead of us.

But first of all, on behalf of the representatives of the core group of institutions that have been moving this process forward, I should like first to request Mr Klemmens van de Sand and Mr M. Duwayri to convey to our expression of gratitude to IFAD and FAO respective managements, for the continuing financial and technical support as well as the policy guidance, without which we would not be here today. Among the many people in this audience who have supported our efforts, let me also recognize Mr Yahia Bouarfa, for his continuing commitment and encouragement all along.

Having said that, let me now go back to how we started, what was achieved, and where do we move from here?

Poverty reduction as an entry point

There is ample empirical evidence to show the close correlation that exists between the level of poverty of rural households in many parts of the tropical world and the role that cassava plays in their farming and food systems. This relationship is due to the comparative advantage of cassava over cereals and traditional cash crops, in terms of resistance to drought, suitability to poor soils, long-term storability, etc.... Hence, the attractiveness of cassava as a fall back option for households facing resource constraints, and difficult access to markets and services.

At the same time, this relationship suggests that the dissemination of sustainable production technologies, combined with the development of market opportunities for cassava, could increase household food security and contribute substantially to economic diversification and poverty alleviation.

Operational objectives of the GCDS

Consequently, in light of past experiences from isolated interventions for cassava development, the 1996 Brainstorming Meeting recognized the need to formulate an overall strategic plan. Rather than a blueprint of interventions which ignore the regional specifications and the country priorities, the GCDS consists in a systematic approach to identify the opportunities and constraints at each stage of the commodity development cycle, and building bridges from research to extension, from production to consumption. In this context, special attention is paid to technical and socio-economic issues related to farming systems, gender and environment.

More specifically, the strategic planning effort has aimed at the following objectives:

i) Identify the opportunities for private investments and public interventions to respond to market failures and to help ensure food security;

ii) Identify constraints in order to determine and prioritize a research agenda;

iii) Define more cost-effective institutional mechanisms to help rationalize the allocation of public and private resources for research;

iv) Develop a framework for technical cooperation at international level in research and technology transfer that would reflect regional/national specificity and institutional comparative advantages;

v) Set the scene for future debates on global issues, such as trade, that may affect cassava development.

The review and consultation process

As the basis for the strategic planning, the reviews and consultations facilitated and (co)-financed by IFAD at international or regional levels have brought together and received support from stakeholders such as policy-makers, farmers' organizations, NGOs and the private sector; national and regional research institutes and their networks; and intergovernmental organizations of cassava producing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Such meetings have enlisted the participation of international development partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Bank, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the United Kingdom Natural Resources Institute (NRI), the International Cooperation Centre on Agrarian Research for Development/Promotion of Tropical Amyloids (CIRAD/PROAMYL-France), the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), and the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC).

The strategic planning work has capitalized on a series of diagnostic studies, including three regional studies (Africa; Asia; and Latin America and the Caribbean) and country case studies (including, inter alia, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Nigeria, Thailand, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, and Viet Nam). In addition, a number of thematic reviews related to cross-cutting issues have been initiated and co-financed by partners, with special reference to cassava markets: product definition and market identification at national and international levels; environmental aspects such as pollution from processing, soil fertility management, and soil erosion control; and food security, gender and nutrition.

An increasing number of governments have shown interest in the cassava strategy formulation. Hence the need, in respect of the related case studies and regional consultations, to proceed at a pace which allowed sufficient time for ownership on the part of all stakeholders.

A Draft Strategy Document was produced in 1998 and discussed, alongside regional reviews, during stakeholder workshops, which helped determine regional priorities. Successive regional consultations took place in 1998 and 1999:

• In Latin America (Cali, Colombia) in April 1998, with CIAT as convenor;

• In Eastern and Southern Africa (Kampala, Uganda) in March 1998, under the aegis of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA);

• In Asia (Bangkok, Thailand) in November 1998, organized by CIAT;

• In West and Central Africa (Accra, Ghana) in June 1999, under the aegis of the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of West and Central Africa and the West African Conference of Research Managers (CORAF);

• In November 1998, a brainstorming session on research priorities was organized by African researchers from 34 countries, on the occasion of the seventh symposium of the Africa branch of the International Society for Tropical Roots and Tubers.

• In West Africa (Accra, Ghana) in June 1999, organized by IFAD and FAO.

Initial outcome of the strategic planning and its linkages with relevant initiatives

The completed case studies and the related consultations have enhanced the level of stakeholders' awareness about new investment and partnership opportunities. This process has also created a favourable environment for follow-up activities and their operational linkages with other relevant initiatives at field level. Some of these initiatives are briefly discussed below:

• A decision was taken in 1998 to extend the mandate of FAO's Inter-Governmental Group (IGG) on Grains and Pulses as an institutional channel for submission of roots and tubers development projects for co-financing by the Common Fund for Commodities; this is a significant step towards the establishment of effective international consultation mechanisms bringing together governmental representatives from the major cassava producing and consuming countries. The fact that such a consultative mechanism does not exist, may be a reflection of the limited institutional interest that such an important crop has received in the past.

• In light of the needs and opportunities identified during the Latin America and the Caribbean stakeholders' consultation, CIAT put forward a proposal for establishing a region-wide, non-profit consortium for cassava development (which came to be known as CLAYUCA), bringing together representatives from public and private sectors, as well as NGOs and farmers' organizations. The objective is to establish a "self-financing mechanism for setting priorities, defining strategies and funding international collaborative cassava research activities that are considered by consortium members to be essential for the development of the crop in their respective countries".

• In Latin America, CIAT is already actively collaborating with IFAD-supported projects (for example in Brazil and Colombia), where arrangements have been made for training segments of IFAD's target group in the production of animal feed, using cassava roots and foliage, as an option for income diversification.

• At global level, the GCDS could serve as a basis for international collaboration and scientific cooperation, in light of established regional priorities. Finally, as a common element to interventions at all levels, the role of information and knowledge management cannot be overemphasized, as a critical activity encompassing thematic studies, market information, best practices at various stages of the research-production-consumption continuum.

The way forward

In conclusion, one could perhaps venture the judgement that, in the history of man's efforts to domesticate plants for the purpose of food security or income generation, few crops other than cassava (if any) have been labelled in so many contrasting ways. For many people, the rehabilitation of cassava's image will be difficult as this crop remains victim of persistent clichés associated with the stigma of depleting soil nutrients, cyanide poisoning, or low status symbol as a staple food. For others, cassava holds promises of an easily grown, wonder crop which could solve problems of food security and generate household income and export earnings. Obviously, the truth is somewhere in between, i.e. cassava is neither a symbol of desperation nor a panacea: it is a crop that draws its uniqueness from its versatility and adaptability. Hence, its tremendous potential to contribute to rural development, as a source of food and cash, on the basis of available technological alternatives, in terms of production, processing and soil fertility management. In light of the Global Cassava Development Strategy, it appears however, that the development potential of the cassava system, as part of broader picture of the rural economy, will materialize in step with progress made in market identification and access to infrastructure and services, improvements in cassava production and processing methods, and cassava product diversification, combined with a broad-based approach to networking and linkages at various levels and in various directions. In other words, the long-term impact of the Global Cassava Development Strategy would depend on the degree of success in mainstreaming its major thrusts into the country strategies and programmes aimed at improving the economic environment and the rural livelihoods.

Scaling up the implementation of the GCDS

While the participatory elaboration and validation of the GCDS is a significant achievement, an even more daunting task will be to implement it on a large scale and in a sustainable manner. However, judging from the outcome of the stakeholders' consultations, it would seem that the solutions to this challenge hold in two key words: mainstreaming and networking. In other words, special attention should be paid to facilitating the conceptual and operational linkages between the Global Cassava Development Strategy and other relevant research or development support initiatives.

When it comes to mainstreaming, the issue is not how to determine up front the ways in which the Governments and the donors can finance the implementation of the GCDS, but the other way round, to see to what extent the main thrusts of the GCDS (e.g. food security of poor households, or income generation for women, or job creation for the youth, etc.) can enhance the impact of the specific projects and programmes supported by Governments and/or the donors. However, it may be desirable to adopt a flexible approach to the donors' and technical agencies' support to the GCDS, taking into account the thematic articulation of the strategy of such agencies in the concerned regions or countries.

A concurrent approach to mainstream will consist in identifying the interface between the sectoral and national strategies (for agriculture, rural development, poverty reduction, etc.) as elaborated by the technical and planning departments of the Government. And then, by highlighting the value added that cassava development activities can contribute to the Government strategies, there are greater chances for the GCDS to receive adequate attention from decision-makers.

There is also scope for interfacing the GCDS with relevant international conventions, including those dealing with international economic cooperation, such as the Lomé Convention. The GCDS is also relevant to international conventions on environment and sustainable development, such those dealing with biodiversity and desertification, bearing in mind the fact that many traditional varieties have been abandoned (hence a risk to biodiversity) as a result of many factors including market integration. Likewise, the increasing popularity of cassava among producers and consumers in drylands opens new prospects for collaboration with the GCDS and the Global Environment Fund (GEF).

In practical terms, the implementation of the GCDS would require a multipronged approach, at national, regional and international levels. At national level, the critical path would involve a review of experiences to identify opportunities and constraints and key stakeholders in the cassava system, as well as champions and catalysts. The GCDS provides for a systematic approach to the research-production-consumption cycle. This will help identify the constraints and potentials at each stage of the cycle (research, production, processing and marketing), and to establish the vertical or horizontal linkages that are necessary for lifting the barriers to cassava development. Depending on the circumstances, such barriers may be related to the consumers preference, or the producers access to inputs, markets, credit, infrastructure, etc., which may be addressed through linkages with other relevant thematic programmes funded by donors.

At regional level, the formulation of the GCDS has gone a long way to discus regional priorities and identify regional constraints. The challenge remains to formulate regional programmes that add value to national level activities and do not duplicate them.

In sub-Saharan Africa, regional project proposals have been prepared by IITA, under the aegis of the subregional roots and tubers networks in West and Central Africa, and in East and Southern Africa. Project activities are aimed at promoting sustainable production, agro-processing and market expansion with a view to improving the incomes of women and the poor, and strengthening subregional research networks.

Strategic planning activities in sub-Saharan Africa in West and Central Africa in particular, are based on significant IFAD experience in cassava development at country level, as is the case in Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin.

Ghana's commitment to a long-standing experience in cassava development is illustrated by supply of traditional foodstuffs to local and urban markets, and private sector exports of cassava chips. This provides a promising basis for a comprehensive approach to the development of commodity systems. The combined IFAD/World Bank project portfolios in Ghana comprise a diversity of interventions, ranging from rural infrastructure to provision of agricultural and rural financial services, hence the possibility of mobilizing a critical mass of activities as a contribution to agricultural transformation: this means graduating from subsistence farming to sustainable resource management. The results of IFAD's previous interventions in Ghana will be consolidated in the context of the Roots and Tubers Improvement Programme launched over a year ago, with a two-pronged emphasis on distribution of improved planting material and promotion of processing and market linkages.

A similar programme is being funded by an ADB loan in Nigeria, as a follow-up to the IFAD assisted Cassava Multiplication Programme. The latter programme has contributed to a more than threefold increase in national cassava output, making Nigeria the world's biggest producing country.

The Government of the Republic of the Niger has recently requested IFAD's assistance to implement a national initiative for cassava development including trials, multiplication and distribution of improved varieties adapted to Sahelian conditions, and promotion of cassava processing and marketing.

In Benin, the government's commitment to cassava development and the promising achievements of IFAD's ongoing income generation and micro-finance programmes open up good prospects for field linkages.

In the Asia and the Pacific region, as stated in the regional review, there is broad consensus that cassava has a pivotal role to play in rural development. This role continues to evolve, driven largely by the globalization of markets, long-term income growth, increasing populations, new technology options for cassava and alternative energy sources. The three research and development activities identified as most important for realizing development goals are: processing and product development, market development, and varietal improvement. The identification of potential projects has followed these themes to a large degree, but with one proposal aimed at reducing the environmental impact of starch processing.

THE GLOBAL CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Introduction

This document presents an implementation plan of the Global Cassava Development Strategy (GCDS) that was officially endorsed at the Validation Forum held in Rome from 26 to 28 April 2000. It outlines the principal areas for action that have been identified as necessary to facilitate the implementation of the strategy and lists a number of activities to be performed at the global, regional and national levels.

The Implementation Plan draws on the principles outlined in the strategy document and takes into consideration the priorities established by representatives of the public and private sectors during the various consultation meetings held in Africa, Asia and, Latin America and the Caribbean. The Plan also reflects the discussions and conclusions reached by the participants in the GCDS Validation Forum.

It was agreed at the Forum that FAO, in its condition as an international organization supported by a large number of member Governments, has a key facilitation role to play in the implementation of the Strategy. In the first place, FAO will publish the report of the Validation Forum using funds made available by IFAD. FAO will also be responsible for the maintenance, updating and enhancement of the GCDS Web Site, which is already accessible through the FAO’s Web Page. It was acknowledged, however, that commitments were also required from other organizations to assist in promoting and co-ordinating the implementation of the Strategy.

Implementation Areas

The GCDS should be seen as an approach to development rather than as a project in its own right. It is expected to influence the formulation, analysis, funding and implementation of policies, research programmes and projects aimed at developing the cassava sector, with the ultimate goal of promoting agricultural development for the benefit of the poor. Thus, the Implementation Plan provides a basic mechanism to facilitate the design of cassava development activities, spanning around three main areas, namely: (i) coordination; (ii) information and promotion; and (iii) linkages and integration.

(i) Coordination

Since the GCDS will be implemented at the global, regional and national levels, depending on the nature of the activities, coordination will be essential to ensure that the benefits of the strategy can be shared widely. Coordination, especially in relation to research activities and projects, should help reduce duplication, allow the results of previous experiences to be taken into consideration in the launching of new initiatives and promote co-operative research and development activities at all levels. Coordination will basically involve the following:

• making available all documentation related to the GDCS;
• a careful monitoring of cassava research and development efforts;
• coordination of efforts of regional networks to optimise cross-fertilisation and economics of scale;
• provision of advice for the implementation of the GDCS at the national and regional levels;
• Respond to outside demands for information on cassava.

A Coordination Group formed by representatives of the organizations that played an active role in the development and endorsement of the Strategy will facilitate the coordination of the Strategy. Members of the Coordination Group are:

• Marcio C. M. Porto, FAO - Chair
• NeBambi Lutaladio, FAO - Secretary
• Mpoko Bokanga, IITA
• Concepción Calpe, FAO
• Hernán Ceballos, CIAT
• Guy Henry, CIRAD
• Truman Phillips, dTp Studies
• Andrew Westby, NRI
• Douglas Wholey, IFAD

Other members may be co-opted, if required.

It is envisaged that the above Coordination Group will hold regular electronic meetings, with the objective of reviewing the progress made in the implementation of the GCDS and of identifying priorities and new opportunities for the development of cassava sector.

(ii) Information management and promotion of the strategy

Provision of information was identified as one of the most immediate potential contributions to the Strategy. Cassava-related information exists around the world, in ministries, research centres, universities, etc., which could be gathered and made widely available. It was agreed that FAO will act as the focal point for the supply of information on cassava and will administer the information from its headquarters in Rome and disseminate it through the Cassava Strategy Web Site (www.globalcassavastrategy.net). The site will be linked to other sites of possible interest to the cassava sector. Contributions are expected from all stakeholders in providing information and identifying useful links.

At the early stages of the development of the information network, the GCDS Web Site should give access to:

• A directory of cassava-related institutions and individuals;

• FAO basic statistics on cassava, through a link to FAOSTAT;

• External data bases on cassava, including on production and processing technologies currently available or under development, through links to relevant web-sites;

• Cassava-related projects (active and completed) and information concerning new cassava project proposals in the pipeline;

Market information and links to commercial organizations (news service). It is expected that the existing regional cassava networks will create their own regional web-sites and will make information available on regional cassava developments and issues. These sites will be linked to the FAO global cassava web-site.

(iii) Linkages and Integration

One basic feature of the GCDS is its integrated approach to development, involving producers, processors, traders and consumers. Integration among stakeholders also needs to be established and maintained as part of the implementation of the GCDS. This will be done at regional and global levels taking into consideration the existence of regional networks in Africa (for West/Central, Eastern and Southern Africa), in Asia and, in Latin America and the Caribbean. Support from the International Society for Tropical Root Crops (ISTRC), the existing regional networks and key national cassava programmes will be needed for the creation of Web Sites and dissemination/maintenance of information to be linked to the central GCDS Web Site. Major linkages expected are:

• At the regional networks level;
• Between major research and development suppliers;
• With macro stakeholders, especially with the private sector;
• With information sources, including market information

Implementation Activities

The undertaking of activities in the three areas identified above will need commitments from a range of institutions and groups of stakeholders. The presence of Catalysts and Champions to help and promote the implementation of activities related to Coordination, Information and Linkages/Integration is crucial for the successful implementation of the Strategy.

(i) Actions required at the global level

Finding champions:

• Formulation and implementation of strategies for the generation and transfer of production and processing technologies, taking into account the major constraints for cassava production, processing and commercialisation at the regional level and existing and potential opportunities;

• Increase the awareness of the international development agencies such as the World Bank, African, Asian and Latin American Development banks to the GCDS, and encourage them to support cassava development efforts;

• Effective use of continental differences in cassava development approaches and advances to help move the less developed continents more rapidly through exchange of visits and training;

• Monitoring of global markets and policy developments that might have serious implications, either positive or negative, for the cassava economies.

(ii) Actions required at the regional level

The following steps are recommended for the implementation of the GCDS at regional level:

• Finding regional champions (will these differ from the continental champions);

• Industry analysis at regional level indicating current status, strengths, weaknesses and issues for attention and action needed to resolve pressing constraints;

• Dissemination of relevant materials and information through workshops, exchange visits, bulletins, Internet;

• Development/strengthening/promotion of regional markets through the relevant organizations such as fora for research and development, finance, economic development, and agricultural development.

(iii) Actions required at the national level

Each country should formulate a medium-term plan based on cassava industry analysis to encompass:

• Finding and obtaining the commitment of national champions;

• Identifying priority market and product opportunities;

• Developing a strong research and development effort that includes financing and addresses the constraints faced by the cassava industry in the country;

• Establishing strong links with regional and global partners;

• Defining potential scope for assistance and collaboration

• Identifying what is needed to Build and strengthen existing domestic markets as a basis for industrial or export growth;

• Identifying what is needed to build a sustained dynamic domestic cassava industry that is linked to cash/grain crops in order to reduce export risks.

Each country should then implement the plan.

ENDORSEMENT OF THE GLOBAL CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The representatives of the public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations, farmers' organizations, international agricultural research centers (CIAT, IITA, IPGRI) and their networks (ACRAC, CEWARRNET, CLAYUCA, EARRNET, ISTRC-AB), agricultural research organizations (CIRAD, NRI), financing and donors agencies (ADB, CFC, IDRC, IFAD, IFS, USAID), Universities (Hohenheim, Bath) and selected national institutions (mainly those which contributed with Country Case Studies for the Strategy) gathered during the validation forum on the GCDS at the FAO, Rome, 26-28 April 2000:

Considering the importance of cassava, particularly its contribution in:

• Providing the livelihood of up to 500 million farmers and countless processors and traders around the world;

• Food security improvement, income generation and poverty alleviation of its producing and consuming households.

Convinced that a Global Strategy is considered necessary to:

• Identify constraints as a basis for determining and prioritising a research-development agenda, and to define more cost-effective institutional mechanisms to help rationalise the allocation of public and private resources;

• Develop a framework for technical cooperation in research and technology transfer at international level, that would reflect regional and national specificity, and institutional comparative advantages;

• Identify opportunities for private investments, for public intervention in response to situations of market failure and for food security purposes;

• Set the scene for future debates on global issues that may affect cassava development.

Convinced that the following elements of the strategy have been approved:

• It should be demand driven and/or market oriented and take advantage of market opportunities for traditional and new products;

• It should follow an integrated approach, involving, simultaneously, production, processing and marketing;

• It should have catalysts and champions to facilitate cassava development;

• It needs to be applicable to a wide range of stakeholders and implemented at various paces and levels starting from national, through regional to global;

• It should address issues of sustainability, gender and equity, and potential environment impact;

• It should address food security concerns for disaster mitigation and recovery situations.

Recognizing that the GCDS is an approach to cassava promotion and development which rely on national and regional strategies that, together, will make possible a concerted development of cassava in producing countries.

There was a consensus among the stakeholders and participants to the forum to endorse the "Global Cassava Development Strategy", as detailed in the revised document of April 2000.

ADOPTION OF OUTLINES OF A PLAN OF FOLLOW UP ACTIONS FOR THE GLOBAL CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Taking into consideration the vision for cassava, the principles expressed in the Strategy document and the priorities established by representatives of public and private sector during the various consultation meetings;

Realising that independent of the availability of resources, there are fundamental issues with common grounds and not mutually exclusive which need to be emphasized during the implementation of the Strategy;

Convinced that Coordination, Information and, Linkage and Integration and their related activities as discussed in the working groups and final plenary session are major areas in the implementation of the Strategy;

Considering the sharing of responsibility, priority and time frame, and the minimal/moderate resource implication required in implementing the follow up actions; recognizing that:

• Coordination will be directly related to linkages and information management;

• Information and GCDS promotion will represent the major area of action;

• FAO will be the principal facilitator for the coordination of the cassava strategy;

• The Cassava Strategy Coordination Group, to be chaired by FAO, will consist of (but not limited to) the former Cassava Advisory Group (FAO, IFAD, CIAT, NRI, CIRAD, IITA);

• The Coordination Group will be directly linked to the regional and national networks.

Participants to the forum reached a consensus and agreed to adopt the implementation proposal discussed at the final plenary session of GCDS Validation Forum on 28 April 2000.

APPENDICES

VALIDATION FORUM on the CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

1. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE OF THE VALIDATION FORUM

• Marcio C. M. Porto, FAO, AGPC - Chair
• NeBambi Lutaladio, FAO, AGPC - Secretary
• Mpoko Bokanga, IITA
• Hernán Ceballos, CIAT
• Guy Henry, CIRAD
• Truman Phillips, dTp Studies
• Andrew Westby, NRI
• Douglas Wholey, IFAD
• Concepción Calpe, FAO, ESCB
• Anna Coccia, FAO, ESCB
• M. Satin, FAO, AGSI
• Rosa Rolle, FAO, AGSI
• Manuela Allara, FAO, AGPP
• Frances Spiers-Centioni, FAO, AGPC
• Christoph Diederichs, FAO, TCIL

VALIDATION FORUM on the CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

2. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Invited Participants

Participants from IFAD

Participants from FAO

VALIDATION FORUM on the CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

3. AGENDA

Wednesday, 26 April 2000

Thursday, 27 April 2000

Friday, 28 April 2000