Staple cassava demonstrates Nigeria's economic vulnerability

Cassava, the starch rusty-coloured root that is a staple in Nigeria, is a paradigm of the problem the import-dependent nation now faces as the plunge in oil prices crimps the economy. The problem -- and opportunity -- that cassava production presents is that Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, does not produce as much as it could, nor of the quality to make it a thriving business. To enable Nigeria to wean itself off imports of rice and wheat, a project aims to help farmers ramp up cassava p