Cassava is the most perishable of roots and tubers and can deteriorate within two or three days after harvesting. Additionally, the roots need to have the cyanogenic glucocides reduced to a level which is acceptable and safe for consumption. For these reasons cassava is usually sold as a processed product whilst other roots and tubers are most frequently sold as fresh produce. Farmers sell their cassava tubers at very low prices thereby getting very little money to support their families. It is due to this reason why most farmer in developing countries are poor .In other to improve the standard of cassava farmers and their family Kirc foundation want to bring all cassava farmers in Ghana together to cultivate cassava on very large scale and further process it to Gari so the finished product (Gari) which is not perishable can be sold at reasonable price to support the livelihood of farmers in Ghana
Steps involved in processing Gari:
The traditional production of Gari is a long and tedious process. Five distinct operations are required: peeling, grating, fermentation and pressing, sieving, frying and drying
Peeling And Washing
Cassava must be peeled to remove the inedible outer parts of the root consisting of the corky periderm and the cortex and wash to remove dirty particles.
Grating
The grating operation is usually carried out manually, but power-operated graters of various makes and models are being more widely used
Traditional method :
The manual grater is usually only a piece of galvanized metal sheet or even a piece of flattened can or tin, punched with about 3mm diameter nails leaving a raised jagged flange on the underside. This grating surface is fixed on a wooden frame and the cassava pieces are pressed against the jagged side of the metal and rubbed vigorously with strong downward movements. Particular care has to be taken and some skill is required "not to also grate the fingers" but still accidents sometimes happen.
Mechanized grating :
Mechanized graters have been developed to enhance the grating of the cassava. For example the Wadwha disc grater developed in Ghana can be used to grate faster and simple.
Fermentation And De-Watering
Traditional method :
In the traditional operations fermentation and pressing (de-watering) are done in one operation. The grated mash is packed inside baskets, jute bags or perforated plastic sacks and left to ferment for 1-4 days.
During the fermentation period the container is put under pressure by piling heavy stones on it, by strongly twisting the neck of the sacks and pressing the bag or sack between wooden poles tightened by ropes. In the latter cases the bag or sack is re-tightened every day as the liquor flows out of the cassava mash.
Improved or small commercial methods :
In larger scale operations pressing take place after fermentation. The grated mash is left to ferment for one to four days in its container. Pressing is done using one of a number of designs of screw or hydraulic press which need access to simple workshops for their construction.
Sieving
Traditionally sieving is done manually using sieves made from palm leaves, bamboo or raffia cane. The sieving operation is not very difficult or arduous compared to some of the other Gari processing operations. Perhaps for this reason there is little advanced sieving equipment at village level but mechanical sieves are included even in small commercial operations. Sieves are usually single or double screen trays which oscillate by means of an eccentric cam driven by small electric motor or powered by some means from the engine driving the plant.

Frying And Drying
Traditional method :
Garification and drying are combined in the "frying" of the Gari. At village level Gari is fried in shallow cast-iron pans, or in the more traditional areas in earthenware pans, over an open wood fire. The sieved cassava mash is spread thinly in the pan in 2-3kg batches. A piece of calabash is often used to press the mash against the hot surface of the pan but it must be scraped quickly and stirred constantly to keep the material moving to prevent it burning until frying is completed when it reaches a temperature of 80° to 85°C.
Mechanized frying and drying :
A mechanical "garifier" or a mechanized system of frying and drying usually takes the form of a mild-steel drum or trough with rotary rakes and paddles fixed to a steel shaft slowly rotating on the axis of the drum. The rakes or paddles sweep the gelatinizing mash from the trough wall to prevent sticking and burning and at the same time move the material through the length of the garifier which is frequently inclined from the feeding hopper towards the discharge sprout.

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