According to Prof. Emmanuel Bobobee, Ghana stands to gain enormously if mechanised cassava production is taken seriously. In a demonstration at KNUST’s research farm, he outlined a scenario: with modern farming and processing methods, cassava-based industries – starch, ethanol, flour, bio-fuels, food products – could transform national revenue streams.
Prof. Bobobee notes that many of the elite cassava varieties currently being cultivated yield significantly more than traditional varieties – some capable of producing 25 tons per hectare or more when optimally farmed; others, under improved agronomic practice, could reach 60–80 tons per hectare.
Moreover, the mechanical harvester – TEK Mechanical Cassava Harvester – not only harvests root crops efficiently but can also plough fields simultaneously, preparing the land for the next cultivation. This dual function drastically reduces labour, time and operational cost while increasing yields.
Prof. Bobobee argues that with the right investment and government support – such as establishing a dedicated cassava-research institute and a cassava-marketing board (similar to the cocoa board) – Ghana could see multi-billion-dollar returns. He suggests that revenue from cassava products (gari, starch, ethanol) could surpass traditional crops.
He also stressed that mechanised cassava farming offers an attractive livelihood for youth, turning otherwise back-breaking labour into efficient, profitable agribusiness. Such a shift could help curb youth unemployment and revitalize the agricultural sector.
As part of his broader work, Prof. Bobobee heads ongoing research projects aimed at value-chain mechanisation beyond harvesting – including development of cassava-peeling machines, minisett yam planters, and other post-harvest processing machines to ensure that cassava farming is efficient from field to factory