The reason why we can’t use cassava leaf for commercial purpose in Thailand

Abstract

Cassava Leaf has the major high content of crude protein for animal feed under the study for more than 20 years. The question for this research study is why we cannot use cassava leaf for the commercial purpose in Thailand, the leader of cassava export of the world. The estimated results of this task are that we can increase income of the farmers not less than 450 million baht or 14 million U.S.dollars per year at only 10% of the total usage and we can reduce the import of crude protein raw materials such as fish meal and soybean meal. This research proposed is to study the cassava and cassava leaf supply chain, the factors influenced in cassava leaf harvesting and transportation in order to find the innovation process that can sustain the cassava farmer’s life and cassava sustainable agriculture. A field survey, interviews and questionnaires were performed to comprehend and accumulate information for analyzing. The study separates in the fundamental factors and the factors effect decision making. Just 16% of the farmers interest in cassava leaf selling. The study shows the interesting points of reason for not selling. One of the important reason is the waste in time and labor so the farmers think it’s not worth to cut it. The results of the study will be the major factors concerned to develop the innovation process in order to find the possible solution to bring cassava leaf to the animal feed industry.