Sunbird Bioenergy developing cassava outgrower program

In Zambia, Sunbird Bioenergy Africa’s project team mobilized to Kawambwa, Luapula Province, Zambia, to commence work on a cassava out-grower program that will provide the sustainable feedstock for a bioenergy project that is expected to produce 120 million liters of bioethanol per year for the country’s ethanol-fuel blending program. The program includes:

• • Development of a cassava nursery to produce high quality cassava planting materials for out-growers in Luapula province. The nursery will multiply the latest breeds of cassava that produce the highest yields per hectare of land and in-turn the highest profits for the out-growers. This will also provide quality control for the operations.
• • Appointment of Vana to design and implement the cassava out-grower program. The Vana team will be responsible for recruiting and registering 20,000 out-growers for the project. They will ensure that the out-growers grow new cassava for the project so that there is no impact on the local food security. In addition, Vana will provide training and farming extension services that will allow the out-growers to maximise their cassava yields and financial returns.
• • A micro-finance initiative with the Africa fintech specialist MyBucks to enable out-growers to participate in the project. Funding is available in 2017 for 5,000 out-growers to purchase the necessary planting materials and to pay for land clearance services. This will be extended to 20,000 out-growers in 2018.