19/02/14: Event: Cassava World Africa in Lusaka zooms in on commercial opportunities

Fufu, or cassava bread, is made in Africa by
first pounding cassava in a mortar
 to make flour, which is then sifted before being
 put in hot water to become fufu.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This year's inaugural Cassava World Africa, organised by the Centre for Management Technology, will showcase the transformation of cassava from a staple food to a commercial crop used in production of flour, beer, feed, starch and as source for bioenergy.

What will the conference involve?

His Excellency Honorable Robert K.K. Sichinga, MP & minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Zambia will inaugurate the conference that will focus on‘transforming cassava in Africa into agro-industrial products’. The conference will cover a range of different topics including:

• food security
• financing projects
• breeding processes
• cassava use in commercial production of flour, starch and bioenergy

International speakers will present a range of key sessions. Speakers include:  

• Dennis Beunk, agricultural development & agro-processing specialist, Brightface Enterprise who will provide an overview of ‘Enhancing Food Security, Income Generation, Value Adding and Economic Empowerment through Commercialization of Cassava’
• Diogo Machado, senior economist, LMC International pwill resent a paper on ‘Global Starch Market Outlook & Feedstock Economics’
• Louw Burger, MD/CEO, Thai Farm International will discuss the ‘Challenges of Operating a Cassava High Quality Flour Plant in  Africa’ 
• Jens Thomsen, International Starch Institute A/S will look at the ‘Challenges of Implementing Industrial Cassava Projects in Africa’

The conference agenda also includes country/ region specific sessions:

•  Investment Update on Cassava Plantation & Value Addition Project in Tanzania – Matthew GW de Klerk, general manager, Cassava Starch of Tanzania Corporation (CSTC)
•  Commercializing Cassava: New Opportunities For Universal Industries and Malawian Smallholders – V. Navin Kumar, GM, Universal Farming & Milling
•  Status of Bioenergy Industry Development in Zambia – Prof.Thomson Sinkala, chairman, Biofuels Association of Zambia
•  Project Status and Challenges in Developing a Cassava Biorefinery in Nigeria – Richard Bennett, CEO, Sunbird Bioenergy Africa

When/where is Cassava World Africa?

Cassava World Africa will take place from 20 - 21 March 2014 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lusaka, South Africa.

 

For more information and to register, visit the Cassava World website here.

For enquiries, contact:
Ms. Huiyan 
Email: huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg
Tel: +65 6346 9113