By Ify Mgbemena
Cassava is more than just a staple crop, it’s a game-changer for farmers, agripreneurs, and the economy at large.
If you’re considering what to cultivate next, here are 14 compelling reasons cassava should top your list:
1. Profitable Beyond Comparison
Cassava yields significantly higher returns than maize. In fact, the gross margin per hectare is over three times higher, making it one of the most lucrative crops to grow.
2. Guaranteed Market Demand
There’s always a ready market for cassava. From local consumption to industrial uses—such as baking, brewing, starch production, glue, cardboard, and packaging cassava chips and flour are in high demand across sectors.
3. Drought-Resistant & Climate Resilient
Unlike maize, cassava thrives even in dry and erratic climates. Its resilience makes it a dependable crop for both household and national food security.
4. Natural Storage System
Cassava doesn’t demand immediate harvest. It can be left underground and harvested gradually, reducing post-harvest losses and serving as a natural food bank.
5. Minimal Pest & Disease Threats
With strong resistance to pests and diseases, cassava typically requires no insecticides, reducing input costs and farm management stress.
6. Grows Almost Anywhere
Cassava adapts to a wide range of soils—even low-fertility land. Its versatility makes it a suitable crop for most regions.
7. Every Part is Useful
Nothing goes to waste. The leaves serve as vegetables, the stems are used for propagation, and the roots can be boiled, eaten raw, or processed into flour and chips.
8. A Staple Across Africa
Cassava is a dietary cornerstone in many African countries, consumed in various forms and sustaining millions.
9. Simple Processing Techniques
Cassava can be processed using basic traditional methods such as soaking, sun-drying, fermenting, and pounding, making it accessible for smallholders.
10. High Domestic and Industrial Demand
Its dual demand makes it unique. Cassava serves both household kitchens and factories, offering farmers more opportunities for income.
11. Intercropping Advantage
Cassava grows well alongside other crops like groundnuts, beans, and millet, maximizing land use and yields.
12. Low Input Cost
Cassava doesn’t require chemical fertilizers, making it cheaper to cultivate and eco-friendly.
13. Rich in Starch & Carbohydrates
Cassava is a nutrient-dense crop, ideal for combating hunger and malnutrition. The leaves also contain nutritional and medicinal value.
14. Ready for Commercial Expansion
With expanding uses in flour production, brewing, starch, ethanol, animal feed, and more, cassava is fast becoming a highly commercialized crop across Africa.
However, cassava isn’t just a survival crop, it is a strategic investment. Whether you’re a smallholder farmer or an agro-industrialist, cassava offers sustainability, profit, and unmatched versatility.
