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Overview: Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
Cassava is the only food staple cultivated widely throughout the world that is poisonous to consume prior to processing.
Cassava was discovered and domesticated by Indians in the Amazon.
It was a food staple for lowland Indians long before the arrival of corn. Several varieties were cultivated and there are indigenous villages where dozens of varieties are still planted.With the arrival of the Europeans, cassava was taken to many different parts of the world. In 1558 cassava was already reported on the margins of the Zaire River. Today it is consumed in many parts of Africa, and Nigeria is the main producer and consumer. Cassava was introduced to Asia during the seventeenth century, and today Thailand is the main exporter of the product.
Cassava is the highest producer of carbohydrates per hectare among staple food crops. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2002), it is the fourth most important food crop in developing countries after rice, corn (maize), and wheat.
Two parts of the cassava plant are used for human consumption - the starchy roots and the leaves. Though the root is the main crop, in most cassava-growing countries in Africa the leaves are also consumed as a green vegetable, which provides protein and vitamins A and B. In Brazil the leaves are only used occasionally for special dishes. More often the leaves are used in dairy cattle rations.
As a food crop, cassava has some inherent characteristics that make it especially attractive to small farmers throughout the world. These characteristics include:- Multiplicity of end uses: Cassava roots are rich in carbohydrates, especially starch, and can be consumed in a number of different ways.
- Food security: It is available all the year round, making it preferable to other, more seasonal staples such as grains, peas, and beans. Its roots can remain in the ground for several years after they mature.
- Sturdy, tolerant, and pest-resistant: Compared to grains, cassava is more tolerant of low soil fertility. In addition it is more resistant to drought, pests, and diseases.
These attributes combined with socio-economic considerations have made cassava a leading crop in poverty alleviation programs. Many poor or landless farmers only have access to marginal land which is well suited to the production of cassava.
The rural poor often need food at periods of the year when other crops do not produce and when there is little paid labour in rural areas. Cassava lends itself well to such conditions (Dostie et al. 1999). These attributes are also what gives cassava its final advantage over many other basic food crops- it is very cheap for poor people to buy.