**2. Cultural practices**

Cultural practices are the activities involved in the cultivation of cassava from the decision to plant it, site selection and right up to the harvesting and post harvesting operations. There have been campaigns worldwide against practices that are inimical to the human environment. Farmers are being enjoined to embrace eco-friendly agriculture. It has been observed overtime that the traditional ways of farming is not sustainable. Traditional methods such as plowing, harrowing, ridging and other operations which disturb soil structure and disrupts soil micro-organic activities are being replaced by environmental-friendly agriculture (zero or minimum tillage). Also, the use of bio-nutrients such as organic fertilizers, mulching and integrated pest management (IPM) are to be chosen instead of mineral fertilizers and chemical pesticides. Mineral fertilizers are volatile and as such release harmful gases into the air. Also, the leaching of the mineral fertilizers into water below the soil and runoff by erosion cause pollution to the water bodies. Also, the residue of the mineral fertilizer is toxic to the soil and the environment.

Moreover, in order to mitigate the vagary of challenges associated with agriculture, farmers engage in the mix of different crops on the same plot of land.

This strategy helps to reinforce soil fertility, and lessen the perennial problem of market and or price instability peculiar to agriculture and its products. For instance, having a mixture of nutrient-demanding and nutrient-giving crops such as cassava and any leguminous crop helps to stabilize the soil nutrient. Also, crop specific pests and diseases will not have freedom of self-perpetuation. The intercrops among other things enriched soil organic matter and reduce if not eliminate soil erosion and leaching of nutrients beyond the reach of plants' roots. Having more than a crop on a plot of land is a form of diversification which enhances food security.

Cassava requires soil with a loose texture to allow for initial root penetration and strengthening. It's susceptible to weed competition and too much moisture in the soil. Because of these factors, it is typically planted on soil that has been loosened and weed-free. Conventional tillage makes it easy to fix stakes in degraded and unstructured soils and provides well-drained, aerated conditions for the root system [3]. Crop yields on the other hand, are determined by soil conditions rather than tillage. Cassava stakes can also be planted in non-tilled soil and give good yields, as long as the soil is healthy, well-structured, and free of compaction. Soils that are pliable and rich in organic matter are the best for its cultivation.

Farmers usually plant stem cuttings (planting materials) on manually created mounds or ridges where soils possess weak physical qualities. Conventional plowing, especially with tractor-mounted plows, harrows, and other heavy machines, bury the protective cover of the soil, kills soil microorganisms, promotes fast decomposition of organic matter, and damages soil structure by pulverizing soil aggregates. Season after season of plowing or hoeing the soil at the same depth results into a compacted soil layer commonly located below the topsoil, and that makes it difficult for water and roots to penetrate. For ongoing crop production in such soils, mechanical loosening will be required, but at the expense of increased soil degradation. Growing cassava without tillage in the same soil may result in poorer yields in the first few years. However, in the long run, by decreasing mineralization, erosion, and water loss, organic matter may build up while also ensuring soil aggregate stability and internal drainage. Zero tillage enhances root function to the greatest extent possible. Once soil health has been restored, untilled land can generate high yields at a cheaper cost to both the farmer and the farming system's natural resource base [4].
