Cassava growing for food security in Kenya

Murangua Kenya

April 2015

Dear Donors,

My community is extremely grateful for the purchase of the mill that grinds our cassava into flour to make many food products ranging from donuts to cakes.  By having the flour available, these products can be made and sold at a profit resulting in the income of our community increasing greatly. I am not through though. My goal is to keep working to help my community to be as prosperous as possible.

We have been learning many lessons. One has to do with the processing of cassava. Before cassava flour is milled, cassava tubers are first chopped and dried. Farmers in the area have been using some rather unhygienic means. They have been spreading the cassava chips on gunny bags and drying in the sun. This exposes the cassava into all manner of contamination especially dust.

Fortunately, this will now be history. Farmers have started fabricating driers. They are making these driers from cheap and readily available materials. Cassava chips are dried in these covered driers. This goes a long way in improve hygiene standards of the food. The covers are intentionally dark to absorb more heat thus quickening and making  the drying process more efficient..

Thank you for your continued support to improve food security and the local economy in my village.

With gratitude,

Michael Murigi