Roots and Tubers
Roots and tubers are an important food source for many parts of Africa. According to FAO estimates, roots and tubers account for 20% of calories consumed in Sub-Saharan Africa, and their demand is expected to rise in the next two decades due to increasing urbanization. Tubers such as cassava, yams and potatoes are vital for both food security and income generation. Tubers are produced for human and animal consumption, but also for many industrial applications in food, textile, paper, pharmaceuticals and other industries. 
Current challenges related to tuber production include pest and disease management, storability of the roots, food safety (potential cyanide release), and suitability of newly bred varieties for food and industrial uses. Future increases in tuber consumption in Africa will depend on advancements in tuber processing into diverse food forms, or in using it as an alternative to imported wheat, rice and corn starch targeting urban consumers.
Christine Fürst, Susanne Frank, Katrin Pietzsch, Frank Pietzsch GISCAME 2.0 – Manual v2.4 PiSolution GmbH
The software GISCAME (formerly „Pimp Your Landscape“) supports the simulation, visualisation, and evaluation of land use changes. Due to its modular structure, problems can be elaborated individually from different perspectives.
GISCAME pursues the aim to evaluate land use based on available regional knowledge (empirical data, model results/reports, and expert knowledge) in order to provide a tool to weigh action alternatives for the planner. GISCAME considers the landscape as an integrative layer for interactions between different land use types, land users, and ecosystem processes, which contribute to the provision of ecosystem services. The integrated evaluation and regulation system allows the formulation of parameters as well as the setting of conversion rules.
GISCAME is one of three components of the GISCAME Suite. For bundling data and for selecting a model region from an interactive map, the software OSM4GISCAME is used. Data which contain gaps or which have too low thematic resolution, can be completed or specified with the help of the structure generator SG4GISCAME.