ABSTRACT
Breeding, delivery, use and benefits of bio-fortified cassava Elizabeth Parkes and Olufemi Aina, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria
1 Introduction
2 The HarvestPlus breeding programme for pro-vitamin A cassava
3 Delivering pro-vitamin A cassava varieties to farmers: the HarvestPlus Programme in Nigeria
4 Encouraging use of pro-vitamin A cassava by consumers
5 Retention of carotenoids and bioavailability after processing
6 Quantification of carotenoid content in pro-vitamin A cassava varieties and food products
7 Conclusion and future trends
8 Appendix: Procedure for carotenoid determination using iCheckTM methodology
9 Where to look for further information
10 Acknowledgements
11 References
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a perennial root crop largely grown and consumed in the tropics and sub-tropical regions, feeding over one billion people around the globe. Cassava’s high caloric value, as well as its ability to tolerate dry conditions and poor soils, makes it a key food security crop in developing countries, particularly in Africa. The ability to transform roots into many different food and non-food products and derivatives (livestock feed and industrial non-food products) also makes cassava a valuable multi-purpose crop contributing significantly to food and nutrition security (Apea-Bah et al., 2009).
