Nigeria: Why Nigeria is not yet sufficient in cassava production
Cassava
Nigeria
Published Jun 24, 2021
Tridge summary
Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a perennial woody shrub that has an edible root that was first cultivated in South America and introduced to Nigeria in the sixteenth century. Cassava is considered a source of food for the poor and has been widely criticized for its propensity to deplete soil nutrients and opens the farmland to erosion.
Original content
Based on the aforementioned, a large proportion of cassava crops are grown on marginal lands (bad topography) that are usually not competitive (not too good for other crops) and some others are not tractor friendly. Another complication around cassava production is that the type of land tenure system in Nigeria and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa does not allow for large farm holdings suitable for mechanisation. Most cassava farmers cultivate small farm areas, which are not conducive or economical for mechanisation. Despite these challenges, cassava is one of the fastest expanding staple food crops in cassava-consuming countries and has continued to gain prominence among farmers while the industrial demand is also rising consistently, according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). Globally, cassava has experienced consistent growth of well above three per cent annually According to the FAO, as of 2018, world cassava production stood at about 278 million tonnes; ...
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