Agricultural Story #26

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Cassava: A Vital Crop in Agriculture

Cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) is one of the large staples crops not only in the tropical regions but also in the sub-tropical regions mostly in the continent of Africa, Asia and South America. Cassava is a big component of food security in agriculture, source of revenue and sources of raw materials in industries. The crop can resist drought therefore it can be very useful in some areas where we experience poor soil or breakages of rains in which other crops cannot grow.

Cassava is also one of the major agricultural benefits to the agricultural sector because it is sturdy. It does not require any sharp drainage of soil and it is drought resistant. Cassava is usually planted as a reserve crop by the farmers due to its high yielding capabilities even with little input. This means that it is a very dependable crop especially to the small scale farmers as they rely on steady harvests to survive.

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Cassava is also an economic plant. Families gain income due to it in most of the rural regions. The roots can be processed to other food products mostly garri, fufu, starch and others which is widely consumed. Also the leaves are nutritious in proteins and could be prepared up like vegetables or animal feeds. Due to its diverse applications, cassava supplements nutrition in the households and curbs food insecurity.

Cassava has risen to the industrial spotlights in the recent years. It finds application in the manufacturing of ethanol, biofuel, adhesives, paper and in textiles. This has opened an avenue to commercialized agriculture and investments to agribusiness. The industry of cassava based products is still on the increase both locally and internally.

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Cassava planting is also intercropped with the farmers planting it together with maize, beans or vegetables. This provides optimum utilization of lands and increases output. Moreover, cassava can be relatively propagated through stem cuttings, which enables it to be within the reach of the small scale farmers.

Conclusively, cassava is the foundation of agricultural development. It is a crop worth investing in due to its flexibility, economic prospects and the role that it has in food systems. Both in small farm set ups and in big time production, cassava is still proving to be useful in sustaining lives and in agriculture sustainability.

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