Rambo of Food Crops

According to the report Is Cassava the Answer to African Climate Change Adaptation, cassava is an important source of carbohydrates. In fact, 500 million Africans eat cassava everyday. Furthermore, this root beat out six other staples in 24 climate different prediction models. Neither potato, maize, bean, banana, millet, nor sorghum can compete in resiliency with the cassava plant.

Andy Jarvis, of Colombia-based International Center for Tropical Agriculture, has pointed out cassava's resiliency in the face of climate change to be good news for African agricultural sectors. Nigeria, Africa's biggest cassava grower, produces 36-37 mega million tones of cassava every year. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a close second. Even though, cassava is not grown in southern Africa, further scientific focus on cassava could bring about increased production. Mr.Jarvis brings up the fact that cassava could be a fallback for various other crops in the face of increased food security concerns.

Cassava is what Mr.Jarvis calls, "the Rambo of the food crops".

-Akshika Patel


SOURCE: BBC News