This study was carried out to examine returns to cassava processing in Kwara State. The
specific objectives are to identify the various products from cassava in the study area;
estimate costs and returns to cassava processing; and identify constraints to cassava
processing and marketing. A four-stage random sampling technique was employed to obtain
primary data from 118 respondents used for the study. Descriptive statistics, Likert-type scale
were used to analyze the data used for this study. It was observed that majority of the
processors were females (88.1%) with an average age of 32 years, mostly with one form of
education or the other (60.20%). The study revealed that four cassava products namely garri,
flour (lafun), fufu and starch were the major products from cassava processing in the.
Analysis of the costs and returns revealed that processing cassava to garri gave the highest
Gross Margin even though processing cassava to all the four products was profitable.
Furthermore, the constraints experienced by processors in carrying out their activities and
marketing their various products include poor road network, high transport cost, drudgery due
to poor access to equipment, inadequate capital and weather related factors relating to sundrying
of cassava products during rainy season. of various degrees. The study therefore
recommends the need for processors to have access to infrastructural facilities and improved
processing technology to enable them take advantage of the emerging market-oriented
cassava products so as to improve their means of livelihoods.