Ivory Coast, the third largest cassava producer in West Africa behind Nigeria and Ghana, officially launched the Cassava Interprofessional Body (OIA Manioc) in Abidjan on January 27th. The aim of this initiative is to improve the structure and coordination of a fragmented sector, in order to boost production and competitiveness.
According to Yedoh Kévin Nomel, chairman of the board of directors of OIA Manioc, over the next three years, the interprofessional body intends to consolidate its governance, draw up a precise map of the sector, put in place data collection and traceability mechanisms, structure financing adapted to the various links, roll out harmonized quality standards, and secure supply contracts.
This reorganization is in line with the political will expressed since 2025 to strengthen the cassava value chain. In May 2025, the Ivorian government obtained two loans totalling 45.9 billion CFA francs [0.083 USD] from the Islamic Development Bank to finance a project to develop the sector. The project includes the development of 40,000 hectares of farmland, the creation of 70 hectares of irrigated areas for propagating cuttings, and the construction of new processing units.
Ivory Coast cassava production has risen by 31.25% in five years, from 6.4 million tons in 2020 to 8.4 million tons in 2024. Despite this increase, the Ivorian sector still lags behind Nigeria, which produces more than 60 million tons a year, and Ghana, with around 25 million tons, according to FAO data.
Source: agenceecofin.com
