Abstract:

Providing sufficient, affordable, and safe food for the increasing world population is one of the
biggest challenges the international agricultural community faces. According to FAO, food
demand will double by 2050. To meet this, cereal yields in developing countries will have to
increase by 40% and an additional 100-200 million hectares of land may be needed. Other
estimates predict that already before 2030, the world cereal production will have to increase by
50%. The Project Development Objective of the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP)
is to raise agricultural productivity and marketed production for selected commodities in cluster
areas, with special attention for small-scale farmers in order to address unmet domestic demand
and to expand regional exports. In line with Government’s strategy, this will be achieved through
increased productivity, value addition and exports of selected commodities, namely; maize, beans,
rice, and cassava