ABSTRACT
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) was traditionally grown as a subsistence crop in Asia, but has become one of the most popular crops, especially in upland environments. Cassava can be used as a primary source of food and animal feed, and its production provides income for many rural communities, especially those living in remote rural areas of tropical and sub-tropical regions. Cassava often represents the cheapest source of carbohydrate (energy) and supports many smallholder farming (crop-livestock) systems in the tropics. This starchy root crop is frequently substituted as the staple food for rural people during periods of rice shortage.
