Cassava: turning a subsistence crop into a cash crop in Western and Central Africa
Cassava is one of the world’s most important food crops. Throughout the tropics, its roots and leaves provide essential calories – and income. Some 600 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin American depend on cassava – also known as yuca and manioc – for their survival. A number of IFAD-supported projects in Western and Central Africa have helped farmers improve yields. However, simply boosting production can lead to a glut of cassava on the market. This can depress prices and discourage farmers from investing in and cultivating this fundamental crop. IFAD is focusing on a region-wide effort to address processing and marketing challenges in its cassava-related projects.
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President's corner

Statement of Lennart Båge, President of IFAD to World Bank's Development Committee

Statement of Lennart Båge, President of IFAD to World Bank's Development Committee

Key note address by Lennart Båge to the African Green Revolution Conference, Oslo, Norway, 29 August 2008

Question and answer by IPS news with President Båge on the occasion of the Third High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness: Women do most, with least assistance

President Båge's article on climate change, Climate-L.org-Bulletin, 28 July 2008

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Soaring food prices and the rural poor
The prices of basic food commodities have increased rapidly over the past three years. The threat to food security in developing countries increases in stride. 
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warns that "the rapidly escalating crisis of food availability around the world has reached emergency proportions." "Responding effectively to the impact of higher food prices must be a top priority for the global community, particularly when the impact is combined with the projected effects of climate change", says Lennart Båge, IFAD's President.
IFAD has gathered information from its partners and staff on the ground on the impact of rising food prices on poor rural people.
Read more | IFAD’s response to the food price increases

Rodrigues Island, Mauritius: Soaring food and fuel prices eat into poor people’s livelihoods
The fish stock in the spectacular lagoon of the island of Rodrigues is becoming depleted. As a result, octopus fishers like Lima Casmir need to find alternative sources of income.
The IFAD-funded Rural Diversification Programme has helped Casmir diversify her livelihood. Now agriculture is her main income-generating activity.
"I know that fishing alone cannot give me enough money," says Casmir. "I could not satisfy my family’s needs because there are not enough fish in the lagoon. Now I work in agriculture.”
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