Cassava as food and biofuel.

Global food demand is expected to grow by 110 per cent over the next 30 to 35 years, and for many of the poorest people on the planet, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, cassava is the most important source of calories. Cassava is also important as a crop that is resistant to climate change. The beam of light is on cancer to develop more resistant strains and explore techniques for processing, packaging and distribution so that more people benefit . A new review brings together research on the potential for improving cassava yields, such as by boosting the efficiency with which the plant captures sunlight and converts it into sugars.New ways to utilize starch from cassava can provide food to an additional 30 million people without taking more arable land than today. By 2030, the figure will be 100 million. In addition, the same land can also contribute to an increased production of bioenergy. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.) is grown for its high starch content. The large tubers are very starchy and processed into flour or semolina (tapioca). This is the staple food for between 0.5-1 billion people in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The plant is grown on about 19 million hectares of land. A study by researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and China Agricultural University (CAU) and published in the journal Global Change Biology Bioenergy shows how to use cassava effectively. The use of cassava starch for industrial purpose can reduce the amount of food or result in even more land being utilized for production,but researchers at SLU and CAU have found that discarded stems contain surprisingly large amounts of starch, up to 30% of dry mass. Currently, the stems are removed from plantations and are considered a waste problem. A simple water-based technologies, can provide up to 15% of starch stem dry weight by extraction. If this starch can be used for industrial purposes, root starch previously used industrially can provide food for an additional 30 million people in the world today and close to 100 million in 2030. The study also shows that residues and process for the extraction of stem starch can be used for the production of biofuels (solid fuel and biogas) and provide substantial added values. Without land use increases, the researchers show that food and bioenergy in combination can contribute to sustainable development and to combat malnutrition and poverty globally.