Desafíos y estrategias para promover la industrialización del cultivo de yuca en Colombia

Cassava (yuca) is a major crop in Colombia, with a production of more than 2.5 million t in an estimated area of more than 260,000 ha. However, the average yield in the country is 11.34 t ha-1, a low level compared to other world-class producing countries. About 94.4% of the total production of cassava nationwide is used for direct human consumption, and only 5.6% is destined for industrialization. The aim of this research was to verify the problems faced by the industrialization of cassava crops in Colombia and to establish possible strategies to help deal with them. The strategies proposed were identified through field observations, iterative testing, stakeholder feedback, and comparative analysis. Among the most noticeable challenges in the low industrialization of cassava crops are low availability of land and high-quality planting material, low technological development, and seasonality of production. Some outstanding strategies to overcome this problem are sowing by pre-sale, access to suitable technology, change of crop varieties, and the producer’s business culture. Large industrialized crops are adopting pre-sale planting as a business strategy for agribusiness; moreover, a crop with agricultural mechanization and irrigation systems on large tracts of land is economically efficient. However, the shift from subsistence agriculture to agribusiness is not enough. Government support with public policies and subsidies is needed to safeguard the cassava production chain in times of national or global crisis.