THE PROMINENCE OF CASSAVA PRODUCTION OVER YAM IN BOKI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE, 1945 to 2015

Abstract

Yam, like most other crops in Nigeria, is an indigenous food crop that is common among the Boki people of Cross River State, Nigeria. Yam, the chief food of Boki people, plays an important role in the socio-economic and cultural life of the people in the Eastern Niger Delta area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Right from inception, yam was a staple food in the area. In the process of yam production, farmers are faced with a lot of challenges such as insufficient labour due to the clamour for white collar jobs by the youths, poor preservation of yam seeds and the deleterious effects of rodents and pests on crops. In the light of these challenges, cassava began to gain prominence largely because of its higher economic and export potentials, its being more resistant to pests and vagaries of weather conditions, and because it requires less labour in its cultivation. Cassava was introduced during the colonial period, and by the 80s cassava gained a lot of prominence in Boki area of the Eastern Niger Delta. Using a multi-disciplinary approach and oral sources as the main methodology, this paper critically examined yam production, its decline and prominence of cassava production in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Keywords: Yam, Cassava, Production