Sweetpotato Knowledge Portal
The VISTA project had the privilege to present its work in promoting orange-fleshed sweetpotato to the Mozambican Head of State, Filipe Nyusi during the Posto Agronomico of Nampula on June 8, 2015. The Post Agronomico event was held to inaugurate the national soils and plant lab. The event was attended by at least 150 people, among them the governor of Niassa Province, governors from other provinces, members of parliament, politicians, community leaders, researchers, and senior members of the police force. Other organizations that participated include IITA, JICA, IIAM, Centro de Fruteiras de Namialo and ProSavana were also present. “The president knew that OFSP derived products are made from Alto Molocue, 200km away from Nampula city, and he challenged us to identify bakeries also in Nampula city,” says Filipe Zano, the VISTA project manager. The president inquired where he could get the OFSP products. He also urged that the initiative be expanded all over the country as quickly as possible so that people from Maputo could also have access to OFSP products. Zano adds that their participation in the event has had positive effects on the work of the project. “The demand for OFSP vines for private sector, NGOs and the District Agricultural Services has increased.” The visit was also featured by the renowned publication Jornal Noticias to be part of its edition of June 9, 2015
