UK: CABI works in partnership with Zambian Government to help distribute cassava cuttings for healthier crops

CABI is working in partnership with the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) to promote the growth of healthier cassava crops in Zambia.Recent efforts have focused on training and distribution of disease-free cassava cuttings to 500 smallholder farmers in the Nsama District of Northern Province.The initiative follows a campaign in August last year to curb the spread of Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) which can lead to a total loss of crop and severely impact food security and the livelihoods of farmers and their families.Estimated losses due to CBSD in Zambia are around 55% of total cassava production, equivalent to monetary losses of over US $500,000. But it is believed that planting disease-free cuttings can help reduce the spread and impact of CBSD.A recent CABI-published evidence note on CBSD, states that the disease, relatively new to Zambia, threatens the development of the country’s cassava sub-sector.This ...