Nyamutoka, PamelaWanda, KellyMatovu, MosesAceng, SharonMuyinza, HarrietKaliisa, RobertMenya, GeoffreyNuwamanya, EphraimNyakaisiki, ElizabethNanyondo, RoseAbass, Adebayo2023-01-232023-01-232016Nyamutoka, P., Wanda, K., Aceng, S., Muyinza, H., Kaliisa, R., Menya, G., ... & Matovu, M. (2016). Training report: capacity building in agronomic practices, waxing and relative humidity storage technologies for shelf-life extension of fresh cassava roots.https://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/7141Cassava is an important source of food and income in Uganda. Consumption of cassava has been increasing especially in the urban areas. Total consumption of fresh cassava in 2013 was estimated to be 1.32 MT per annum (RTB-ENDURE - Cassava Sub-Project scoping study, 2014). Market demand for fresh cassava in 2013 was estimated to be 309,528 MT per annum and was projected to increase to 387,074 MT in 2018, signifying a 25% increase. New market segments for fresh cassava roots have been emerging for both the niche and mass markets. Fresh cassava was found to be consumed in various forms. According to findings from the RTB-ENDURE Market Study (2015) high-end restaurants had introduced cassava recipes while fried cassava chips were a delicacy in road-side food catering services, a new phenomenon. Further, the study revealed that the most preferred consumption form was in fried form (37% of the study respondents), followed by boiled (35% of the study respondents) and steamed in banana leaves (25% of the study respondents). Cassava enjoys a unique position as a convenient food that is easy and fast to prepare. It is in recognition of this fact that cassava has been selected as one of the ten priority crops to assist Uganda transform its agricultural sector through provision of household incomes, employment and food security. However, despite this growth in demand, both utilization of and income derived from marketing of fresh cassava are being hindered by the rapid postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD) of the roots. Cassava suffers spoilage within two to three days of harvest. The implication is that it cannot be marketed over a long time and distance thereby reducing incomes to growers and traders, leading to less investments and hence low productivity. To address this challenge, the RTB-ENDURE Cassava Sub-Project also known as “Extending the Shelf life of Fresh Cassava Roots for Increased Incomes and Postharvest Loss Reduction” aimed at introducing, testing, validating and assessing the efficacy of two technologies for increasing the shelf-life of fresh cassava roots, and thereby assisting to increase the value to growers, traders and consumers along the entire value chain. These technologies included high relative humidity storage and waxing. Both relative humidity storage and waxing of fresh cassava roots are in commercial use elsewhere. However, their applicability and feasibility in Uganda was unknown since these technologies were new. Therefore, the approach used in RTB-ENDURE Cassava Sub-project involved knowledge sharing between the Ugandan research team and its counterpart at CIAT in Colombia, one of the countries where these technologies are being commercially adopted. CIAT has substantial experience in conducting research on PPD of cassava and on how to tackle the issue of the rapid deterioration of the roots by use of suitable varieties, agronomic practices and pre-harvest techniques such as pruning. CIAT scientists and value chain actors in Colombia trained the Ugandan research team in various aspects of high relative humidity storage and waxing, including varietal selection, PPD scoring, and the agronomic and pre-harvest techniques that reduce PPD. The project team conducted a scoping study and later a detailed market assessment, carried out on-station research on varietal selection (based on PPD susceptibility) and validation of the technologies for shelf-life extension, and established two pilot pack houses in western Uganda. These included one pack house in Kyenjojo district to test a farmer operated business model and another one that was established in Kabarole district to test a trader operated business model. Thereafter, the project built the capacities of both operators and their identified partners and potential suppliers to promote the adoption and adaptation of these shelf-life extension innovations. This report describes the capacity building process and activities that were done to enable the value chain actors adopt and adapt the pre-and post-harvest practices, and waxing and high relative humidity storage technologies in order to run a successful business enterprise.enOther