Rwanda's Kabizu Business Group converts cassava peels into commercial animal feed ingredient

Rwanda-based agro-processing company Kabizu Business Group has begun converting cassava processing waste into High-Quality Cassava Peels (HQCP), a commercially viable animal feed ingredient that the company says addresses both large-scale agricultural waste disposal and the high cost of conventional feed inputs for livestock producers.

The company developed its HQCP production facility with technical support from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Rwanda, delivered through the Rural-Urban Nexus (RUNRES) project. The processed product is being used as a feed ingredient in pig and poultry production, according to Feed Business Middle East & Africa.

Emmanuel Rukundo, a research associate at IITA Rwanda, explained the technical rationale behind processing the peels before use in feed. "Cassava peels are rich in fermentable carbohydrates, but in their raw form, they carry anti-nutritional compounds and moisture levels that make them unsafe and unstable as feed," he said. He added that the processing protocols introduced through RUNRES reduce cyanogenic compounds to safe levels while stabilising the product for storage and transport.

The facility uses grating and drying systems to convert freshly processed cassava peels into HQCP. Rukundo stressed that reliable quality is essential for the ingredient to gain acceptance in the feed industry. "It's not enough to have an idea. You need consistent quality control, proper drying and grating systems, and a feed product that livestock producers can trust batch after batch," he said.

Bizumuremyi Christian, founder and managing director of Kabizu Business Group, said the company encountered significant obstacles at the outset. "Our biggest challenge was convincing people that cassava peels are not waste but a valuable resource. We also faced limited processing technology, financial constraints, and the challenge of meeting strict quality standards," he said.

Beyond its feed industry application, the initiative has created employment opportunities and additional markets for cassava farmers, while giving processors an additional revenue stream from a material that would otherwise be discarded, according to the source report. Christian described a broader shift in his commercial outlook: "The project has completely changed my perspective as an entrepreneur. It has given me the confidence to invest in innovation and sustainability."

Kabizu Business Group plans to expand HQCP production to supply feed manufacturers across Rwanda and neighbouring countries. The company also intends to develop additional value-added products from cassava processing residues as part of a broader zero-waste processing model.