The Roles of Cassava in Marginal Semi-Arid Farming in East Nusa Tenggara—Indonesia

Yohanis Ngongo, Tony Basuki, Bernard deRosari, Yosep Seran Mau, Kartika Noerwijati, Helena daSilva, Alfonso Sitorus, Noldy R. E. Kotta, Wani Hadi Utomo and Erwin Ismu Wisnubroto
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Yohanis Ngongo: East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (ENT AIAT), Kupang 85362, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Tony Basuki: East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (ENT AIAT), Kupang 85362, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Bernard deRosari: East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (ENT AIAT), Kupang 85362, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Yosep Seran Mau: Agriculture Faculty, University of Nusa Cendana, Kupang 85001, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Kartika Noerwijati: Indonesian Legumes and Tuber Crops Research Institute, Malang 65101, East Java, Indonesia
Helena daSilva: East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (ENT AIAT), Kupang 85362, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Alfonso Sitorus: East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (ENT AIAT), Kupang 85362, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Noldy R. E. Kotta: East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (ENT AIAT), Kupang 85362, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Wani Hadi Utomo: Centre for Soil and Land Management, Brawijaya University, Malang 65145, East Java, Indonesia
Erwin Ismu Wisnubroto: Faculty of Agro-Eco Technology, Tribuana University, Malang 65144, East Java, Indonesia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-22

Abstract: Risk and uncertainty in grain crop production are common in marginal semi-arid environments, such as East Nusa Tenggara province. Growing root and tuber crops in a mixed-cropping system is one of the strategies developed by smallholder farmers to substitute food grains and minimize risk. Nevertheless, root and tuber crops are not prioritized for food production systems since food crops in Indonesia are based more on grain and wetland rice production systems. This paper reviews cassava crops, which are widely cultivated by smallholder farmers. This paper contributes to understanding the roles of cassava for smallholder farmers, the diversity of the cassava germ plasm, the progress made to increase cassava productivity, and the potency of cassava crops to improve farmers’ incomes. This paper highlights that, in the low and erratic rainfall of dominant semi-arid regions, the development of cassava is pivotal to secure the harvest of food crops or food availability and income generation for marginal farmers.

Keywords: food crops; cassava; marginal farmers; semi-arid; risk and uncertainty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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