Cassava is a tropical, shrubby, perennial plant with an edible root, serving as a major source of carbohydrate in human diet. Cassava originated from tropical America and was first introduced into Africa in the Congo basin by the Portuguese around 1558. Cassava has been cultivated for centuries in the Americas, initially for human consumption and more recently cultivated for the production of dry chips (used as animal feed), ethanol and starch. With cassava viewed as a food security crop and therefore poorly commercialized, the changes along the Cassava Value Chain have been minimal. However, since the advent of cassava usage in production and processing of animal feed, Asia and Latin America have witnessed rapid changes in the value chain system. Other contributing factors include new government policies promoting the use of cassava based products, improvements in cassava processing technology and the emerging importance of cassava as an effective industrial raw material for starch, animal feed and ethanol industries.
The cassava root is long and tapered, with a firm, homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about 1 mm thick, rough and brown on the outside. Commercial cultivars can be 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) in diameter at the top, and around 15 to 30 cm (5.9 to 11.8 in) long. A woody vascular bundle runs along the root's axis. The flesh can be chalk-white or yellowish. Cassava roots are very rich in starch and contain small amounts of calcium (16 mg/100 g), phosphorus (27 mg/100 g), and vitamin C (20.6 mg/100 g).[10] However, they are poor in protein and other nutrients. In contrast, cassava leaves are a good source of protein (rich in lysine), but deficient in the amino acid methionine and possibly tryptophan.
Estimate of Potential/Demand for Cassava (tons) in Nigeria
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