The development and scaling out of flash-dryer innovations for more efficient, small-scale production of high-quality cassava flour (HQCF) and starch is described. The diagnoses of cassava-processing SMEs (small and medium enterprises) revealed their energy expenditures for drying were considerably higher than those of large-scale industrial companies, which was mostly due to suboptimal design of flash-drying systems. As a result, small-scale production of cassava starch and HQCF often incurs high production costs, incompatible with market prices of final products. Taking stock of this situation, RTB scientists have developed several innovations to optimize energy efficiency and costs, including a longer drying pipe, reengineered heat exchanger, larger blower for higher air velocity, and a higher product/air ratio. This was based on numerical modelling to determine the key design features of energy-efficient flash dryers, followed by construction and demonstration of a pilot-scale prototype. As a result, improved small-scale flash dryers are now being scaled out to the private sector in various countries, using the Scaling Readiness framework and achieving 10–15% gains in productivity and incomes. A method for diagnosis of process efficiency is also described, to identify technical bottlenecks and to document and measure the outcomes and impacts during the implementation of scaling-out projects.

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COVID‐19 has caused economic hardship globally. Several economies are making efforts to cushion these negative effects. Following the lockdown and downward trend of global oil prices, the Nigerian economy has been hard hit. This paper sheds light on policy actors' views vis‐à‐vis what should be the economic policy response of the Nigerian government to cushion the effects of COVID‐19 and ensure quick economic recovery. A multistage random sampling method was used to select and interview 635 policy actors drawn from academia/research institutes, civil society organizations, development partners, international NGOs, national NGOs, the private sector, and the public sector. The study adopted a participatory development approach. Descriptive and deductive analysis methods were used. The results support direct cash transfers to households, and small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) as the policy option that would have huge impact in mitigating the economic effects of COVID‐19 in Nigeria. The second most recommended policy option is the eradication of corruption among government officials. The paper recommends that pragmatic actions towards eradicating corrupt practices among government officials should be an integral part of any economic recovery policy in Nigeria and other emerging economies.

In the smallholder value chains of maize, diversification of utilisation is an essential strategy towards enhancing the benefits drivable from the increase in maize production. This article identifies the contribution of maize-based products on poverty level among smallholder processors. The study, which was conducted in 30 rural communities in northern Nigeria, involved Focus Group Discussions and survey of 300 smallholder processors of maize-based products. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used. The results show that average annual profit among the interviewed smallholder processors of maize-based products was approximately N425,506 (about US$1,400). These processors faced several constraints which tend to keep them under poverty trap (vicious cycle of poverty). The result of the estimated two-step Tobit model shows that, with necessary interventions, profit from maize-based products has the capacity of keeping these processors out of poverty trap. The result indicates that as profit from maize-based products increases, the poverty probability index that household is not below poverty line of $1.90/day at 2011 purchase–power parity increases ( p < 0.05). Thus, household poverty among rural smallholder processors of maize-based product could be reduced drastically through interventions targeted at mitigating the identified constraints.