HQCF Chain

High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF)

The High Quality Cassava Flour is made from unfermented cassava flour which has been produced from freshly harvested cassava, milled and dried in less than 24 hours. It must contain no color stains and odor.

The product has several uses in the food industry for preparing several kinds of traditional dishes in many tropical countries.

It can be used in whole or as a substitute for wheat flour in the bakery industry for (pastries) bread and biscuits. 

It is also used in the timber industry as a bonding material for plywood and in the paper industry as an adhesive.

HQCF can be used in the pharmaceutical industry as a binding substance.

In Ghana, the bakery industry is gradually shifting to the use of HQCF in order to reduce cost. Bakers tend to balance the composition of HQCF and Wheat flour, with an 80% by 20% composition. This direction helps to reduce the high cost of using only wheat flour in the preparation of confectionery.

Cost Benefits Analysis of using the HCQF

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HQCF Chain

One of the RTIMP's main objectives is to Identify, establish and support sustainable Commodity and Value chains in the country, and one of these chains is the HQCF chain.

A Supply Chain Facilitator was tasked to identify and develop verifiable, sustainable and viable HQCF Value chains.

The Task

To develop a market for HQCF, Utilization workshops were organized for both matrons from selected institutions and individual bakers within and near cassava producing zones. This Workshop was aimed at increasing the capacity to produce HQCF, interest and knowledge of the use of HQCF.

Emerging issues from these workshops include:

• Pricing 
• Accessibility (availability of the flour)
• Quality and traceability
• Starch content in HQCF
• Proving process

These issues were resolved with the implementation of the RTIMP's Farmer Field Fora and the District Stakeholder Fora which enlightened Cassava farmers on producing high quality cassava  for the use of HQCF and the Processors on proper usage of HCQF for the best output.

Five different chains were identified in this assignment. (Chain names depict chain leaders which are processing centers which have other chain actors such as farmers linked to them).

1. Agbeko Chain
2. Bredi Chain
3. Caltech Chain
4. Marbet Chain
5. Josma Chain
6. St. Baasa Chain

Several issues specific to various actors were identified along the chain. A major hurdle for the six processing centers was the Lack of Efficient Drying System.
The chains used inefficient means of drying. Some of the chains used the "Geloma Dryer" which was at the mercy of the rains, others used the solar dryer with a broken down solar panel whiles some of the chains used the Batch dryer.

To resolve this bottleneck along the chain, RTIMP, through the initiative fund and its Technical Service Persons developed an efficient prototype drying system called the RTIMP HQCF Dryer.

The RTIMP HQCF Dryer (Prototype)

 Loading the Dryer

 
The Dryer uses Gas in its mechanism...