• Côte d’Ivoire launches OIA Manioc to structure manioc sector

• Body targets governance, data, financing, quality standards rollout

• Sector backed by IDB loans; production up 31% since 2020

The Interprofessional Organization of the Manioc Sector (OIA Manioc) was formally launched in Côte d’Ivoire on January 27. The announcement was made during a roundtable in Abidjan that brought together government officials, technical and financial partners, financial institutions, private-sector actors, and industry stakeholders, including producers, processors, and traders, according to a press release published on the government website.

The launch marks the culmination of a process initiated in November 2025. Yedoh Kévin Nomel, chairman of the board of directors of the interprofessional organization, said the creation of OIA Manioc signals a shift from a fragmented sector to one that is more structured and ambitious.

“Over the next three years, OIA Manioc will work to consolidate its governance and establish a detailed mapping of the sector, implement data collection and traceability mechanisms, structure financing tools adapted to different segments, and deploy harmonized quality standards and reliable supply contracts,” he said.

Strengthening the Manioc Value Chain

The effort to better organize the sector comes as the Ivorian government has expressed political commitment since 2025 to strengthening the manioc value chain in the country. In May 2025, authorities announced they had secured two loans totaling 45.9 billion CFA francs ($83.7 million) from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to finance the implementation of the Manioc Value Chain Development Project.

The project includes the development of 40,000 hectares of agricultural land and the preparation of 70 hectares of irrigated areas dedicated to the multiplication of manioc cuttings to support production. It also involves the construction of new processing units. These initiatives are intended to further increase local production of the tuber and create opportunities for farmers.

According to official figures, Côte d’Ivoire’s manioc harvest grew by 31.25% over five years, rising from 6.4 million tonnes in 2020 to 8.4 million tonnes in 2024. Despite this growth, the sector still lags behind the performance of Nigeria and Ghana. FAO data show that Nigeria produces more than 60 million tonnes of the tuber annually, while Ghana’s harvest reaches 25 million tonnes.

Stéphanas Assocle