Why cassava holds key place in food security, ‘Big Four’ agenda

Improving food security in Kenya requires a comprehensive approach, including looking at alternative staple foods beyond maize, rice, and wheat. Cassava, the fifth major food crop in the world, is a good alternative. Besides its importance as a key food security crop, it can also generate thousands of jobs along the value chain due to its potential industrial use. The crop can therefore complement the government’s efforts towards achieving two of its ‘Big Four’ development agenda — food security and manufacturing.

According to extensive research, cassava will thrive in the face of climate change, whereas other major food staples will encounter challenges. Farmers in Coast and Western, where cassava is the second most important food crop after maize, can attest to this. The crop survives well during drought when few other sources of food are available, providing food security and additional income in marginal and drought prone areas, which comprise close to 75 per cent of the land in Kenya. Nutritionally, a cassava diet provides the complete daily energy requirements and its leaves are a rich source of protein. It can also be bio-fortified to provide essential micronutrients.