From Indigenous Practices to Modern Technology: A Historical Study of Cassava Processing and Socio-Economic Transformation in Igalaland, 1960–2025

Abstract

This paper examined the historical transformation of cassava processing from indigenous practices to modern technological systems in Igalaland between 1960 and 2025, with emphasis on technological innovation, rural livelihoods, women’s economic participation, employment and socio-economic development. Cassava processing has historically formed an important component of Igalaland’s agricultural economy, where local communities have relied on peeling, grating, fermentation, pressing, drying and roasting to produce food for households and commercial exchange. Changes in machinery, transport, market demand and agricultural intervention have progressively influenced the organisation of processing. The study adopted a historical design based on secondary sources, including scholarly publications, agricultural statistics, institutional reports and historical documents. Documentary analysis, descriptive statistics and comparative tables are employed to examine technological changes and socio-economic implications. Available evidence suggests a gradual transformation from predominantly household-based manual production towards increasingly mechanised, market-oriented activity. Contemporary Nigerian research indicated that mechanical graters, pressing systems and other equipment can improve efficiency, reduce labour intensity, enhance product quality and create income-generating opportunities. Nevertheless, restricted finance, poor infrastructure, equipment costs, gender inequality and limited institutional support constrain benefits. The study concluded that technological modernisation has created opportunities for socio-economic transformation in Igalaland, although its benefits are uneven and insufficiently quantified over the full historical period. It recommended affordable processing facilities and credit, technical training, improved rural infrastructure, gender-responsive policies and preservation of indigenous knowledge.