Brief Description

Cassava leaves also popularly known as isombe (pounded cassava leaves) is a typical Rwandan stew made from mashed cassava leaves. Its leaves originally came from DR Congo and eventually filtered through to Rwanda and Burundi. Ordinarily, isombe is made by pounding fresh cassava leaves in homes or sold 'ready to use' in markets and supermarkets. Value added innovations have been introduced by entrepreneurs to improve the shelf life of isombe and make it more appealing to buyers in and outside Rwanda.

• Types of varieties grown in Rwanda: Sweet cassava and bitter cassava T
• Cultivation areas in Rwanda: Ruhango, Muhanga, Gisagara, Kamonyi, Nyanza, Bugesera
• Climatic conditions for growth: It grows in any setting as long as it can get at least ten months of growing time and plenty of heat
• Soils: Cassava likes to grow in rich, moist soil that has been loosened up. It grows under very poor conditions
• Export market destinations: UK, France and Belgium.