So today I want to tackle all the standard questions that involve
cassava. Questions such as, what is the cassava plant? How does it look
like? What kind of crop is it?
Cassava is also know as tapioca, manioc or yuca. The scientific name of cassava is Manihot Esculenta and is part of the Spurge family also known as the Euphorbiaceae family. The cassava is an long
starchy tuberous root with white flesh on the inside and a brown fibrous skin
that protects the inside. The cassava plant can reach heights of 3 meters and
has hand-shaped leaves with a dark green colour, the plant is known for its
high production of carbohydrates and its drought resistance. It originates from
Brazil, South-America but can now be found in most tropical and sub-tropical
areas. There are more than five thousand cassava varieties known all with their
own distinctive characteristics. A big risk is involved in the production and processing of cassava, because if you don’t cook and dry it properly high contents of toxin can come into your body. This is due to the presence of cyanogenic glucosides that is releases hydrogen cyanide when the plant gets damaged. Different steps have to be taken such as drying, fermenting or grating. 
Cassava was first introduced in Thailand somewhere between the 17th and 18th century. 30% of all worldwide produced tuber and
root crops is cassava, this makes it one of the biggest staple crops. And while Nigeria is the biggest producer Thailand on the other hand is the biggest
exporter of dried cassava. However it is not a staple crop for the Thai people and this makes cassava an cash crop for Thailand. The cassava is not only used as a food or for
alcoholic beverages for us humans, it can also be used as animal feed. And on
top of that plays the cassava a big role in the biofuel production, because you
can easily use the cassava for ethanol production. In this case the farmers
harvest the cassava roots very early when they are just 45 cm high, they dry
them and feed them to their animals. 
