Abstract
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a perennial shrub that grows up to 2meter tall and with an average stem diameter of 3centimeters and is full of nodes. Cassava can grow in marginal fields or low-nutrient soils and still produce a good harvest including on lands where other crops fail to thrive. Due to its hardiness, it has serious food security potentials that are yet to be harnessed. Cassava cultivation and production are plagued with a plethora of pests and diseases militating against its success. Yet, the crop is often resilient for several years. It has assumed such importance in the domestic and international commodity market because of its multifarious uses that it is worth investigating for expansion in production, processing, and utilization. Although a few products such as biofuel, cassava leaf flour, the basic traditional cassava-based foods, bioethanol, and glucose syrup among others have been articulated, they could be more associated with products of the future. This chapter attempts to evaluate cassava production and products and potential sustainable utilization strategies and environmental security.
Published Version
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