Manioc  is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize and gives the third-highest yield of carbohydrates per cultivated area among crop plants, after sugarcane and sugar beets. Manioc is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people.  It is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils, plays a particularly important role in agriculture in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Currently, about half of the world production of manioc is in Africa. It is cultivated in around 40 African countries. Around 70% of Africa's manioc output is harvested in Nigeria, the Congo and Tanzania.The use of high-quality fertilizers significantly increases its yield.