Cassava which was once considered a subsistence food for the poor and feed for animals in the tropics, Eastern and Southern African countries has experienced rapid growth to become a prosperity crop in high demand as a good source of healthy nutrition and consistent source of income for small stakeholder farmers in developing countries.

Unlike maize or wheat, cassava, also known as tapioca in Latin America and Asia, is a robust drought resilient tuber crop. 

Cassava starch can also substitute maize in the animal feed, pharmaceutical paperboard, textile industries, bio-degradable products, brewing industries etc. Its potential has yet to be fully exploited in East and Southern Africa countries.

As climate change, pests and emerging new crop diseases wreak havoc with traditional crops, cassava can promise both small stakeholder farmers and the market with a steadier and more predictable income.