Welcome to the site of our Information System on postharvest handling and processing of cassava. This starchy root is a major food crop in the tropics, being a significant source of calories (after rice, sugar, and maize) for nearly 500 million people. It is the most important of the root and tuber crops, being planted in more than 92 countries. In the last 20 years, various national and international entities have devoted their resources and efforts to developing and improving cassava postharvest handling and processing for interested parties such as cassava farmers, extension agents, rural microenterprises, governmental and nongovernmental planning entities.

Although considerable information has now been generated on this subject, most of it is not easily accessible, being scattered, unorganized, and weakly diffused. Taking advantage of the possibility of massive diffusion through electronic information systems, the Rural Agroenterprise Development (RAD) Project at CIAT established the Information System by compiling, with the collaboration of other organizations, technical and economic data, balance sheets of materials for processes, machinery used in the processes, designs of processing plants, and investment costs.

Below, you will find this information classified in four sections: the crop, postharvest handling; processing and use, and information resources. We hope that this information will help you obtain a precise and clear understanding of the subject.

Spanish version