Cassava is the basic food for over 600 million people in the world

Cassava is the basic food for over 600 million people in the world and produced by 105 countries. Nigeria is the leading producer of cassava in the world, producing 35 million metric tons.

Although, Uganda produces approximately 5 million metric tons per a year, the crop is becoming a commercial crop because many farmers are growing it.

“We want to make farmers realize how important cassava is because it is not only a food security crop but also a commercial crop because it has different other uses like baking, manufacturing paper board, starch, alcohol, biofuel, pharmaceuticals in making tablets like Panadol, lipstick producers use it to stick among others”, says Dr Iren Bayiyana Researcher/Agricultural Economist and the National Invasive coordinator with National Agricultural Research Organization.

She explains that, Cassava is the second most important food crop in Uganda after banana in terms of production and consumption. The traditional growing areas of cassava are West Nile, North, and Eastern parts of the country. Today, it is increasingly becoming an important crop on the south and western areas in Uganda.

The crop is mainly grown by smallholder farmers owning 1-2 acres for food security and income generation. Most of it is sold as dry cassava or flour milled from dried chips but gradually more and particularly in urban areas as fresh cassava roots.