Members of Aten Commercial Village (CV), in Western Kenya have experienced increased sales of up to Kshs 15,000,000 (USD 16,3715.85) per month as a result of adopting improved cassava varieties, and proper drying procedures. After trainings conducted by Farm Concern International under the Kenya Cassava Village Processing Initiative supported by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and implemented by FCI, Aten CV adopted these new varieties and procedures leading to increased productivity.  

“With the new variety, one acre can give you 50 tonnes. With the old, you could not even get 20 tonnes. It would also take as long as two years to mature. The new variety matures in eight months. In two years, I harvest twice,” says Moses Odware, the CV Chairman.

Additionally, FCI linked Aten CV to formal and informal traders. The group sells cassava chunks to Isinya and Malaba markets. The CV is doing scheduled production in order to meet the demand from traders. 

During the rainy season, the demand for clean cassava goes up. Aten CV has adopted proper drying procedures in order to meet the market demand. They supply Malaba market twice a week with 100 Tonnes of Cassava cuttings. In a month, they supply 500-700 tonnes at Kshs 30-35 per kg, making Kshs 15,000,000 (USD 16,3715.85) per month.

The group attributes this market opportunity to adopting proper drying procedures. The Commercial Village members have a mutual collective center where the trader picks the cassava, saving on transport cost. 

From the sales they make, the group deposits their money in their CV account where they save their money collectively. 

The group currently has Kshs 8,000, 000 (USD 87315.12) in their account and has bought one acre of land.