Reuters
ROME -- The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which finances farm projects in poor nations, were cited as saying in a joint statement today that cassava, long neglected by policy makers, has huge potential to reduce world hunger as it is a cheap, resilient crop that can substitute for wheat.
The story says that millions of farmers, processors and traders around the world earn their livelihood from cassava, a root crop also called yuca and manioc. It is the basic staple crop for 500 million people in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
The joint statement was quoted as saying that, "The crop has been far too long neglected by policy makers and researchers. It is one of the most reliable and cheapest sources of food. ... For example, by substituting wheat with cassava, poor countries could save a considerable amount of money in foreign exchange."
FAO and IFAD are staging an international forum on cassava in Rome between April 26-28.:
