‘The Boba Belt’ is the tropical region along the north and south of the equator where cassava is exclusively grown. It is the food staple of 800 million people and primarily grown by low-income, small farms in over 100 countries. It is known as the ‘miracle’ crop as it can be grown in poor soils with constrained water access meaning that as the climate changes this crop could be well adapted. Most importantly, cassava is not only an important factor to ensure food security and it can be a major source for renewable energy as it is also used for ethanol production. 50% of China’s ethanol comes from cassava roots and sweet potatoes.

The charts below list the top 5 producing countries of the 3 regions where cassava is primarily grown.

* For more information, please see the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

www.fao.org