To be frank, if you are in a region that is sustained by cassava plantings, and it is an integral part of the local diet, you are probably in a relatively impoverished area. That is just probably the reality. Cassava is a tough root that is relatively more difficult to harvest, prepare and cook than a potato. These are simple realities. But with that said, there are an awful lot of advantages to cassava as a crop in regions where it is grown as a food staple. It is easy to plant and grow. Clear some land with a machete and you can plant cassava cuttings into the soil. In about a year (at least here in West Papua) you are able to harvest the edible roots. It can be grown in a plantation setting in the middle of a jungle. The root once harvested can be stored without refrigeration. And, once peeled diced and cooked it is pretty darn tasty! To tell you the truth in a land with bananas, coconuts and casava you are on your way to beating starvation. If you can catch some fish, raise some chickens for eggs and meat, and keep a few pigs, you are actually on your way to a wonderful life…. Happy children, laughing and playing in the shallow waters, parents loving their families, a feeling of community can allow for happy lives far away from the consumption of so much of the modern world. And cassava plays a leading part in many regions, and it is important here in West Papua. And so it was on that misty morning high in the jungles of Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Walking along narrow trails to meet the man who had cleared the land and planted the cassava. Barefoot, proud, working, fed and happy to show this foreigner traveler his farm. An interest in agriculture cuts across racial, economic and language barriers. Just two older farmers. Same problems: pests, rain – not enough or too much. Long days, weeds. At the end, a smile, a wave of thank you and good bye, and a little greater understanding for both parties that there are more similarities than differences….
