TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOLOGY - Preferred Method: In the method, at least a portion of the stem components undergo gasification to provide energy for use in at least one of the component processing steps. The components are separately processed to provide differentiated commercial products. The root components are processed to form starch. The leaf components are processed to form a feed for livestock and/or the extraction of vegetable protein. The stem components undergoing gasification to provide energy for use in at least one of the component processing steps. In the method, at least a portion of the stem components are processed to form biomass pellets. The step of processing the root components further involves modifying, hydrolyzing, fermenting, grafting and/or polymerizing at least a portion of the starch to form modified starch and/or starch derivatives. The step of processing the root components further involves collecting pulp from the starch forming step, where the pulp is processed to form a feed for livestock. The effluent from the processing of root components is treated in a waste water treatment plant to provide treated water, biogas and treatment sludge. A portion of the treated water is used in the processing of root components, or used for irrigation of a cassava crop. The treatment sludge undergoes dewatering for use as a fertilizer or soil ameliorant, or drying to form biosolids. The biosolids undergo gasification. In the method, heat for the dewatering and drying of the treatment sludge is provided by the gasification process. The method involves capturing biogas produced by processing at least one component. The biogas is separated into methane and carbon dioxide component streams. The carbon dioxide is separated from biogas and coke gas combustions streams and used in the production of algae. In the method, at least a portion of the stem components are gasified to produce biochar and carbon dioxide. The biochar is added to soil of a cassava crop. The carbon dioxide is used in the production of algal products selected from biodiesel, omega 3 fatty oils, high protein stockfeed or biomass.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The modified starch and/or starch derivatives are selected from ethers, esters, cross-linked polyols, dextrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, amino acids, citric acid, lactic acid, xanthates, superabsorbants or mining flocculants. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.