Cassava is considered as one of the oldest cultivated crops, its domestication started about 5,000 and 7,000 years ago in the Amazon rainforest (Allem, 2002).
Cassava is currently grown in 105 countries around the world and although cassava is predominantly used for human consumption worldwide, its utilization vary greatly by regions (FAO, 2017; Latif and Mller, 2015).
In developing and tropical countries, cassava has nutritional and economical importance. It feeds between 500 million and up to 1 billion people worldwide and is the 4th major staple crops in terms of calories after wheat, rice and maize (FAO stat, 2017; Latif and Muller, 2015).
Cassava varieties are commonly classified in 2 categories: sweet and bitter according to the concentration of cyanogenic glycosides in the crop. Sweet cassava contains low levels of cyanogenic glycosides (100ppm) while bitter varieties contain higher levels of cyanogenic potential. The cyanogenic potential is not directly correlated with the bitterness of the plant (Bechoff, 2017).
The highlevels of cyanogenic glycosides require thorough detoxification process to reduce to compounds to safe level (Montagnac, Davis and Tanumihardjo, 2009b)

Cassava roots are rich in starch. The stems are used as planting material. Eaten both by humans and animals, cassava is widely used in the food industry (pastries, tapioca, food pasta, chips). With over twenty derivative products, cassava is also used in the textile industry and in the production of paper, glues, alcohol and starch.
Cassava offers considerable advantages in terms of food, nutrition and income security with stable and high yields, even on marginal soils and in conditions with uncertain rainfall.
The labor and production costs required such as the purchasing of fertilisers, plant protection products and reproduction material are minimal.
Cassava may be planted alone or in combination with other crops such as maize, plantain, vegetables or legumes.
In Kenya cassava is traditionally an important food, nutrition and income security crop, grown by small-scale farmers in Nyanza, Western, Coast, Eastern, some parts of Rift Valley and Central Provinces.
Commercialization of cassava and cassava-based products in Kenya is still low. Major counties include: Migori, Busia, Kilifi, Kwale, Siaya, Machakos, Homa Bay, Lamu, Meru and Makueni.
Make no mistake! There is a cassava revolution in Sub-Sahara Africa. In light of the prevailing climate change, food/nutrition security experts, governments, development partners, and non-governmental organizations are realizing this root crops potential for empowering small holder farmers in rural communities and delivering food/ nutrition security. The East African Cassava Trade Fair & Festival Kenya Edition is delighted to take the lead in promoting the farming, processing and consumption of this Traditional High Value Crop in the region.