With IDB support, Ivory Coast aims to strengthen cassava value chain

Ivory Coast’s government  successfully negotiated two loans worth a total of 45.9 billion CFA francs ($79 million) from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for the benefit of the cassava sector. The announcement was made on Wednesday May 7th at a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

According to the authorities, the funds will be used to finance the Cassava Value Chain Development Project. The project, whose launch date and implementation period have not yet been specified, aims to improve the resilience of the production system and contribute to strengthening food and nutritional security.

“More specifically, the project aims to make the cassava value chain more dynamic, from production to processing and marketing of cassava products, with a view to creating more employment opportunities, particularly for young people and women, and increasing the incomes of households working in the sector,” reads the communiqué from the Council of Ministers.

Ultimately, this financial support should help sustain the dynamic growth in tuber production observed over the last decade. According to official data, the cassava harvest in ivory coast has grown by an average of 8.2% per year, rising from 4.4 million tonnes in 2015 to 8.2 million tonnes in 2023.

source: agence ecofin