Farmers’ Perspectives on Biotechnology Innovation on a New Cassava Variety in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Cassava (Manihot esculentaCrantz) is a highly productive tuber crop growing on marginal land, providingrural communities in India with nutritious food, as well as income generated by huge industrial demandfor sago and starch. In Tamil Nadu (TN) alone it supports over 10,000 smallholder farmers. To sustainthe livelihoods of this community of smallholder farmers, the Indo-Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology(ISCB) works towards cassava virus (i.e. Cassava Mosaic Disease) resistant varieties. Socio-economicpartners collaborate with biotechnologists to support ISCB Cassava project’s objectives of improvingfood security and rural development, by supporting development of biotechnological products accordingto end users’ perspective (i.e. smallholder farmers and other value chain players). Using a combinationof qualitative participatory research methods, this study addresses the needs and constraints of thefarmers and other players, related to the cassava planting material system in the cassava industrialproduction area of Dharmapuri, Namakkal and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu. By understanding farmers’and other players’ needs, will make the innovation more likely to be adopted. Moreover, the researchaims at creating a network of public and private partners to rely on for the dissemination of innovations.In an area where cassava is largely produced for starch and sago, farmers seem mainly concernedabout varieties with high yield and high starch content, shape and colour. In order to assure farmersacceptance of a new variety to be introduced, the yield and starch content should be as high as, orgreater than the varieties currently in use. Though cassava planting material is available and affordable,when a new variety is released, the current planting material distribution strategy seems to be inadequatefor market penetration. Socio-economists and biotechnologists agree on the fact that market-orienteddistribution strategy needs to be further analysed and built, by including other players from the privateand public sector.