Progress towards a global strategy for cassava development

The development of the Global Cassava Development Strategy was initiated in 1996 at a 'brainstorming' meeting convened by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Cassava was recognised by the meeting as a food security and commercial crop that lends itself to a commodity approach to poverty alleviation, given the close connection between the poverty level in many parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America and the role of cassava in these cropping and food systems in these areas. The importance of farming systems issues and market linkages was also stressed. However in order recognise and meet the full potential of this crop, a Global Strategy was considered necessary to : 1) identify the opportunities for further public and private investments; 2) develop a framework for international technical co-operation for research and technology transfer; 3) identify more cost effective institutional mechanisms for rationalising (and increasing to the extent possible) the allocation of public and private resources for research and investment; and 4) set the scene for future debates on global issues. The Global Strategy requires a coalition of stakeholders including cassava producers and their organisations, Govemments, the donor community, technical and research agencies and their networks, NGOS and their networks and the private sector in order to achieve the objectives set out above.