Agricultural History Review, Volume 60 Part 1 (2012), pp. 60–76

That cassava has over the years become the pre-eminent food crop of the Igbo of southeast Nigeria is not in doubt. What is surprising is how this crop, an introduction to the area, now competes with the yam, which according to popular tradition is indigenous. At the same time, the source of cassava and reasons for its adoption by the Igbo both remain subjects of controversy. This work argues that any objective conclusion on the origin and spread of cassava among the Igbo, must take into consideration the period of its introduction, the people’s socio-economic conditions at the time and more importantly, the peculiarities of the crop that made it attractive to the Igbo. 

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