Cassava is one of Africa’s most important food and industrial crops. Today, Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava, a position achieved through decades of scientific research, farmer innovation, and strategic investments in agricultural development. The journey from traditional to improved, disease-resistant cultivars illustrates how research and technology have transformed cassava production across the continent.
The Introduction of Cassava to Africa
Cassava was introduced into Africa by Portuguese traders approximately 500 years ago. Over time, colonial administrations encouraged its cultivation because it was relatively easy to grow and capable of producing substantial quantities of calories to support rapidly expanding populations.
Long before formal research institutions became involved, African farmers were the earliest cassava breeders. Through observation, selection, and exchange, they developed and preserved landraces that best suited their local needs and environments. (Learn more in Understanding Cassava Varieties: Landraces and Improved Varieties Explained.)
Different communities valued different characteristics. Some preferred varieties that were easy to harvest due to labour constraints, while others favoured types with abundant leaf production for use as vegetables. In some regions, high tuber yields were prioritised, while elsewhere farmers selected varieties that could remain in the ground for extended periods as a reserve during food-scarce seasons.
Despite these varying preferences, one trait was universally valued: resistance to pests and diseases.
Early Efforts to Combat Cassava Mosaic Disease
One of the greatest threats to cassava production has been Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD). By 1891, the disease had already been documented in East Africa and subsequently spread throughout Central and West Africa.
In response, British, French, and Belgian colonial administrations established agricultural research stations to address the growing threat. Among the earliest documented initiatives were those undertaken during the 1930s at the East African Cassava Research Institute at Amani in present-day Tanzania.
Researchers at Amani crossed local cassava varieties with the closely related Ceara Rubber plant (Manihot glaziovii) and other wild relatives known for their disease resistance. While the resulting hybrids demonstrated improved resistance to cassava diseases, they produced low yields and poor-quality storage roots, limiting their adoption by farmers. (Learn more in How Cassava Varieties are Bred).
Advancing Cassava Breeding Research
Although research activities were disrupted during World War II, work resumed afterwards. Scientists eventually developed cultivars that combined resistance to CMD with modest yield improvements.
In 1956, these improved cultivars were distributed across Africa shortly before cassava research activities were transferred from Amani to Moor Plantation in Ibadan, Nigeria. Researchers at Moor Plantation further improved the breeding programme by crossing Amani-derived materials with high-yielding West African cassava landraces.
Following Nigeria’s independence, cassava research became nationalised and was transferred to the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) in Umudike. Unfortunately, the Nigerian Civil War resulted in the loss of valuable breeding records and research materials that had been transferred from Moor Plantation.
Fortunately, the original Ceara Rubber–cassava hybrid selected during earlier breeding efforts remained available, allowing researchers to continue the work.
The Emergence of Improved Cassava Varieties in Nigeria
A major turning point came in 1967 with the establishment of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan through collaboration between the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation.
Cassava research was formally incorporated into IITA’s programmes in 1971. Working alongside NRCRI, researchers revitalised breeding efforts and laid the foundation for the Tropical Manioc Selection (TMS) series, which emerged in the late 1970s.
The new generation of hybrids successfully combined disease and pest resistance with significantly higher yields. By the 1990s, several of these cultivars had become widely adopted among Nigerian farmers.
The impact was transformative. For the first time, farmers were able to achieve yield increases of up to 40 percent without requiring substantial additional inputs. The breakthrough drew comparisons with Asia’s Green Revolution because of its potential to improve food security and agricultural productivity on a large scale.
Economic Policies and the Expansion of Cassava Production
Despite these scientific advances, initial adoption of improved cassava varieties was slower than expected.
Nigeria’s oil boom in the early 1970s increased consumer demand for imported rice and wheat, reducing the prominence of traditional staples such as cassava. At the same time, migration from rural communities to urban centres reduced the agricultural workforce, limiting both production and adoption of new technologies.
By the mid-1980s, however, changing economic conditions altered the landscape. Following the end of the oil boom, the Nigerian government implemented restrictions on rice and wheat imports while also limiting exports of several agricultural commodities.
To support domestic food production, the National Seed Service distributed improved cassava planting materials to farmers, while fertiliser subsidies encouraged increased cultivation. Adoption of improved varieties accelerated rapidly.
Within a decade, Nigeria’s agricultural growth rate had begun to outpace population growth. Improved infrastructure and investments in agricultural research further strengthened the cassava value chain. Together, these factors helped propel Nigeria to become the world’s leading cassava producer by the 1990s—a position it continues to hold today.
Responding to New Disease Threats
By 2002, scientists identified a credible threat from new and more virulent strains of Cassava Mosaic Virus emerging in East Africa.
To address this challenge, the Federal Government of Nigeria, with support from international development partners, launched the Integrated Cassava Project. Researchers from NRCRI, IITA, government agencies, and farming communities collaborated to rapidly develop and distribute resistant varieties.
The results were remarkable. Between 2002 and 2006, researchers evaluated approximately 40 candidate varieties and successfully released 10 new cultivars capable of resisting the emerging disease strains.
This rapid response played a critical role in safeguarding Nigeria’s cassava industry.
Modern Cassava Breeding and Industrial Applications
As cassava evolved from a subsistence crop to an industrial raw material, breeding objectives expanded beyond food security.
In 2020, the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC) approved five new cassava cultivars developed through collaboration among NRCRI, IITA, and NextGen Cassava. These varieties were designed to meet emerging market demands, including industrial processing and value-added applications.
The development of such cultivars reflects a broader shift in cassava research toward improving starch quality, processing characteristics, yield performance, and resilience to environmental stresses.
Conserving Cassava Genetic Resources
While new varieties continue to be developed, preserving existing genetic diversity remains equally important.
IITA maintains a collection of more than 4,000 cassava accessions and collaborates with national and international research organisations to conserve, evaluate, and exchange valuable genetic materials. These collections serve as a critical resource for future breeding efforts and help ensure long-term resilience against emerging pests, diseases, and climate-related challenges.
The Future of Cassava in Nigeria and Africa
Nigeria’s cassava sector demonstrates the power of scientific innovation, strategic policy support, and farmer participation in driving agricultural transformation.
From the earliest farmer-selected landraces to modern disease-resistant cultivars, cassava breeding has played a central role in strengthening food security and economic development. Today, ongoing research continues to address emerging disease threats while creating varieties tailored for industrial applications and expanding market opportunities.
Although challenges remain across the cassava value chain, they also present opportunities for investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship. As demand for cassava-based products continues to grow, the crop is increasingly positioned not only as a food security staple but also as a driver of industrial development and economic growth across Nigeria and Africa.
Related Articles
- How Cassava Varieties Are Bred
- Understanding Cassava Varieties: Landraces and Improved Varieties Explained
Further Reading and Resources
Publications
- Felix I. Nweke Dunstan S . C. Spencer John K. Lynam. (2002). The Cassava Transformation: Africa’s Best Kept Secret.
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). (1990). Cassava in Tropical Africa: A Reference Manual.
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Cassava Collection
- Alfred G.O. Dixon et al. (2007). Fast Track Participatory Approach to Release Elite Cassava Genotypes for Various Uses in Nigeria’s Cassava Economy.
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