Cassava Production Enterprise in the Tropics

Cassava, a tropical root crop, provides the staple food for millions of people around the world. It is one of the tuber crops that could be cultivated on a small scale in an environment with erratic rainfall, and without necessarily needing heavy equipment and machineries. Cassava could be successfully cultivated by resource-poor farm family. Farmers’ productivity could be as much as 70 tonnes per hectares under favourable conditions. However, smallholder farmers do among other things improve productivity through proven cultural practices and a mix of organic and inorganic measures. Irrigation is very necessary for achieving bumper harvest in areas with shortage of rainfall and insufficient soil moisture content. The concept of sustainability in the practice of agriculture has been on the front burner world over in recent time. Therefore, the cultivation of cassava with the aim of increased productivity without jeopardising the factors of production meant for future time is encouraged. Practices that combine traditional knowledge with modern technologies that are adapted to the needs of small-scale farmers are on the increase around the world. Depending on the purpose, cassava could be harvested anytime from eight month. Cassava leaves could serve as vegetable and the stems use as fire wood