Climate change: Will Cassava be the new pap? :: Mmegi Online

Would you eat cassava? Do you even know what it is and what it tastes like? When was the last time you ate something that was not pap, sorghum or rice? Well, should food and climate experts have their way, you could be eating cassava porridge, pap and even pie within a few years.

In fact, for decades, experts watching subtle changes in the region climate have warned that southern Africans need to let go of their traditional and cultural ‘obsession’ with maize.

This year, as has happened nearly every five years for the past two decades, the southern African region is headed for harsh times as the El Nino phenomenon has caused yet another drought – this time the worst in 35 years. More than 27 million people in the region including 50,000 in Botswana, are facing hunger and the numbers are due to rise significantly as the year progresses, following a disastrous 2015-2016 season.

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