OUR FELLOWS
Since earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and agri-business, Devotha Mchau has conducted research on cassava and other important tropical crops across sub-Saharan Africa. Tanzania produces about 6.8 million tonnes of cassava annually, according to the FAO, which is 5.5 percent of total world cassava production and 14 percent of Africa’s.
The main aim of my research is developing and influencing the adoption of newly improved varieties of high-yield and disease-resistant crops,” she says. “Cassava production and processing have become of particular interest, because it presents an immediate solution to climate change and food insecurity in many African countries, although more research is still needed to find a permanent solution to the problem. In Tanzania we are not taking advantage of other opportunities for cassava use.
Field of Research
Conducting research on cassava and other important tropical crops, such as cowpeas, soybeans, and banana, for poverty reduction and income generation across several sub-Saharan countries, with the goal of developing and influencing adaptation of newly improved varieties of different crops with high yield and resistance to disease.