{"id":13094,"date":"2026-06-20T12:26:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T12:26:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:21","slug":"iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/","title":{"rendered":"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"http:\/\/newint.iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Miracle.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-9862\" src=\"http:\/\/newint.iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Miracle.jpg\" alt=\"Image\" width=\"250\" height=\"179\" \/><\/a>The \u201cMaking Agricultural Innovations Work for Smallholder Farmers Affected by HIV\/AIDS\u201d \u2013 or MIRACLE \u2013 a project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)  and implemented by IITA has commissioned four small-scale cassava processing centers in Luapula Province in the northern part of Zambia. The symbolic commissioning of the centers was held on 21 February at the Sencil General Suppliers in Mibenge Agricultural Camp, one of the four established under the project. The other three processing centers are located at the Kale Agricultural Camp, Mansa Resettlement Scheme,  and Mabumba Agricultural Camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luapula Province is known as Zambia\u2019s main cassava-producing area  and supplies the root crop to the rest of the country  and even exports to the neighboring country of DR Congo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Melba Davis-Mussagy, MIRACLE Project Manager, the processing centers service farmers within a 7-km radius. The project also supplied farmers with planting materials of improved cassava varieties to ensure the steady flow of raw materials to the centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn these communities, farmers usually walk an average of 15 to 20 km to bring their cassava roots to existing hammer mills. We have strategically located these processing centers so that our project beneficiaries will not need to travel long distances to have their cassava roots processed,\u201d Mussagy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The centers are equipped with a hammer mill, grating machine, chipping machine,  and hydraulic press. They will be producing cassava chips, high-quality cassava flour (HQCF),  and cassava meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At full production capacity, each center can produce 3 tons of cassava flour or 4 tons of cassava chips per day. In the meantime, however, the centers are expected to produce about 200 kg of flour daily. HQCF is expected to initially go to bakeries, restaurants,  and hotels in Mansa \u2013 the biggest town in Luapula Province where there is a high dem and for the product, while cassava meal goes to the general public  and the chips to industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe want our farmer-beneficiaries to earn more by increasing their production surplus  and diversifying their income options,\u201d Mussagy said. \u201cBut also importantly, we want to reduce the drudgery of labor associated with producing cassava chips  and flour through traditional methods,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In traditional processing, producing cassava chips  and flour takes an average of 6 days. \u201cThrough these mechanized processing centers, the production process could be reduced to just a day,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The centers will be operated by MIRACLE-supported entrepreneurs themselves, with technical  and business backstopping for at least one year. The operators were chosen based on their business know-how, dedication to the project, existing infrastructure in their homesteads,  and leadership qualities. The operators have been trained by MIRACLE on cassava flour  and chips production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The commissioning was graced by Ms Miriam Kauseni, Permanent Secretary (PS) of Luapula Province, who represented the Provincial Minister. In her commissioning speech, she highlighted the importance of these processing centers to farmers  and the local industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe limited cassava utilization possibilities have been among the most important constraints to the growth of the cassava industry in Luapula  and across Zambia as a whole,\u201d she said. \u201cThe Zambian Government considers diversification of cassava utilization as critical as the crop can be used for baking  and confectionery, stock feed,  and industrial purposes \u2013 all of which can help create many new jobs  and improve livelihoods,\u201d the PS emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI wish to recognize the efforts of IITA in the promotion of cassava utilization among the local people. As government, we are happy to see the good collaboration between IITA  and the Ministry of Agriculture  and Livestock to support the improvement of small-scale farming especially among households affected by HIV\/AIDS. To IITA, I say \u2018excellent work!\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have a word for our new cassava factory owners: the processing centers that you have now are the nucleus of development in your community. Operate them for the benefit of your fellow small farmers,\u201d she advised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr David Chikoye, IITA Regional Director for Southern Africa, reiterated what the PS said. \u201cThese are your factories. Look after them so that they bring the most benefit to you  and your community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIITA is your friend. Without you, we \u2013  and what we do \u2013 are irrelevant. Putting up these processing centers is the easy part \u2013 the more difficult part of operating  and maintaining them now falls on your collective shoulders. But rest assured that we will always be here to assist,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the commissioning, community members who attended were also treated to a display  and taste-testing of various breads  and pastries made with a composite of 20% cassava flour  and 80% wheat flour. These were prepared using flour processed from the centers during their test run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pour toute information, veuillez contacter :<br>Jeffrey Oliver,<br>Responsable de la communication d'entreprise<a><br>O.Jeffrey@cgiar.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Melba Davis-Mussagy<br>Agro-enterprise Development Specialist<br><a>M.Mussagy@cgiar.org<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The \u201cMaking Agricultural Innovations Work for Smallholder Farmers Affected by HIV\/AIDS\u201d \u2013 or MIRACLE \u2013 a project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and implemented by IITA has commissioned four small-scale cassava processing centers in Luapula Province in the northern part of Zambia&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[],"science-area":[],"program":[],"location":[46],"news-type":[],"hub":[],"crop":[66],"impact-areas":[],"item-year":[191],"class_list":["post-13094","news-item","type-news-item","status-publish","hentry","location-zambia","crop-cassava","item-year-191"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development - IITA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development - IITA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The \u201cMaking Agricultural Innovations Work for Smallholder Farmers Affected by HIV\/AIDS\u201d \u2013 or MIRACLE \u2013 a project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and implemented by IITA has commissioned four small-scale cassava processing centers in Luapula Province in the northern part of Zambia...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"IITA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IITA.CGIAR\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@IITA_CGIAR\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/\",\"name\":\"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development - IITA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/newint.iita.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/11\\\/Miracle.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-20T12:26:21+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/newint.iita.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/11\\\/Miracle.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/newint.iita.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/11\\\/Miracle.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/news-item\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/\",\"name\":\"IITA\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"International Institute of Tropical Agriculture\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/IITA-Logo-finalll.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/IITA-Logo-finalll.png\",\"width\":1788,\"height\":591,\"caption\":\"International Institute of Tropical Agriculture\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iita.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/IITA.CGIAR\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/IITA_CGIAR\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/iita\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/IITAPUBLISHING\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development - IITA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/","og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development - IITA","og_description":"The \u201cMaking Agricultural Innovations Work for Smallholder Farmers Affected by HIV\/AIDS\u201d \u2013 or MIRACLE \u2013 a project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and implemented by IITA has commissioned four small-scale cassava processing centers in Luapula Province in the northern part of Zambia...","og_url":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/","og_site_name":"IITA","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IITA.CGIAR","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@IITA_CGIAR","twitter_misc":{"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/","url":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/","name":"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development - IITA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/newint.iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Miracle.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-20T12:26:21+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"fr-FR","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"fr-FR","@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/newint.iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Miracle.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/newint.iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Miracle.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/iita-miracle-inaugurates-processing-centers-to-serve-as-nucleus-of-development\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/iita.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/iita.org\/news-item\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"IITA-MIRACLE inaugurates processing centers to serve as nucleus of development"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/iita.org\/","name":"IITA","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/iita.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"fr-FR"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/#organization","name":"Institut International d'Agriculture Tropicale","url":"https:\/\/iita.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"fr-FR","@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IITA-Logo-finalll.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IITA-Logo-finalll.png","width":1788,"height":591,"caption":"International Institute of Tropical Agriculture"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/iita.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IITA.CGIAR","https:\/\/x.com\/IITA_CGIAR","http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/iita","http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/IITAPUBLISHING"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/13094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news-item"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/13094\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"science-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/science-area?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"hub","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"crop","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/crop?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"impact-areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/impact-areas?post=13094"},{"taxonomy":"item-year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/item-year?post=13094"}],"curies":[{"name":"bien jou\u00e9","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}