Introduction
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is the third most
important source of calories in the tropics, after rice
and maize (Huang et al. 2001; Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 2010) and
sixth most important crop in terms of global annual
production (Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAOSTAT) 2010). Widely grown in
tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America, cassava is the
developing world’s fourth most important crop, with
production in 2006 estimated at 226 million tonnes
(FAO 2008, 2005). It is the staple food of nearly a
billion people in 105 countries where the root provides
as much as a third of daily calories (FAO 2008) and the
annual consumption is greatest in Africa. In Zaire for
example, cassava provides for 1,123 calories per day
per person while in Ghana, a mean per capita
production of 465 kg/annum provides about 20 % of
calories in the diet, far ahead of any other single crop
or animal source (FAOSTAT 2005). It is also a major
staple for about half of the Nigerian population and
nearly 50 million tonnes of fresh cassava is produced
annually in the country (FAOSTAT 2008). Cassava is
important not just as a subsistence or food security
crop, but also as a main source of cash income for
producing households (Bainbridge et al. 1997). Its
production and processing provide employment and
income for the rural poor, especially women and
children (Sarma and Kunchai 1989).
According to Nweke et al. (1994), cassava’s long
growth cycle makes it relatively difficult for the crop
to be readily available on time to farmers and
consumers and rainfall pattern in some parts of the
tropics where rain lasts for about 6 months or less
provides distinction between rainy and dry seasons
thereby making cassava cultivation in such areas
difficult. They also stated that late bulking (LB) is a
IntroductionCassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is the third mostimportant source of calories in the tropics, after riceand maize (Huang et al. 2001; Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations (FAO) 2010) andsixth most important crop in terms of global annualproduction (Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations (FAOSTAT) 2010). Widely grown intropical Africa, Asia and Latin America, cassava is thedeveloping world’s fourth most important crop, withproduction in 2006 estimated at 226 million tonnes(FAO 2008, 2005). It is the staple food of nearly abillion people in 105 countries where the root providesas much as a third of daily calories (FAO 2008) and theannual consumption is greatest in Africa. In Zaire forexample, cassava provides for 1,123 calories per dayper person while in Ghana, a mean per capitaproduction of 465 kg/annum provides about 20 % ofcalories in the diet, far ahead of any other single cropor animal source (FAOSTAT 2005). It is also a majorstaple for about half of the Nigerian population andnearly 50 million tonnes of fresh cassava is producedannually in the country (FAOSTAT 2008). Cassava isimportant not just as a subsistence or food securitycrop, but also as a main source of cash income forproducing households (Bainbridge et al. 1997). Itsproduction and processing provide employment andincome for the rural poor, especially women andchildren (Sarma and Kunchai 1989).According to Nweke et al. (1994), cassava’s longgrowth cycle makes it relatively difficult for the cropto be readily available on time to farmers andconsumers and rainfall pattern in some parts of thetropics where rain lasts for about 6 months or lessprovides distinction between rainy and dry seasonsthereby making cassava cultivation in such areasdifficult. They also stated that late bulking (LB) is a
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Introduction
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is the third most
important source of calories in the tropics, after rice
and maize (Huang et al. 2001; Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 2010) and
sixth most important crop in terms of global annual
production (Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAOSTAT) 2010). Widely grown in
tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America, cassava is the
developing world’s fourth most important crop, with
production in 2006 estimated at 226 million tonnes
(FAO 2008, 2005). It is the staple food of nearly a
billion people in 105 countries where the root provides
as much as a third of daily calories (FAO 2008) and the
annual consumption is greatest in Africa. In Zaire for
example, cassava provides for 1,123 calories per day
per person while in Ghana, a mean per capita
production of 465 kg/annum provides about 20 % of
calories in the diet, far ahead of any other single crop
or animal source (FAOSTAT 2005). It is also a major
staple for about half of the Nigerian population and
nearly 50 million tonnes of fresh cassava is produced
annually in the country (FAOSTAT 2008). Cassava is
important not just as a subsistence or food security
crop, but also as a main source of cash income for
producing households (Bainbridge et al. 1997). Its
production and processing provide employment and
income for the rural poor, especially women and
children (Sarma and Kunchai 1989).
According to Nweke et al. (1994), cassava’s long
growth cycle makes it relatively difficult for the crop
to be readily available on time to farmers and
consumers and rainfall pattern in some parts of the
tropics where rain lasts for about 6 months or less
provides distinction between rainy and dry seasons
thereby making cassava cultivation in such areas
difficult. They also stated that late bulking (LB) is a
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