Being the starting point of the value chain, plant breeding carries a great responsibility. In addition to being a reliable food security crop, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) varieties are rich in beta-carotene; hence reduce vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in women and young children and is increasingly being recognized and expanding faster than any other food crops in Africa. Accelerated value chain development programs should therefore seek to apply technologies and innovations widely for selected value chains, to competitively and sustainably increase productivity; and contribute to agricultural growth, nutrition and food security in Africa. Molecular genetics and other biotechnologies are now widely used by both national and private sector breeding programmes and can make an essential contribution to accelerate cultivar improvement and development. In addition, programs should enhance the overall economic welfare of farmers, producers and marketers throughout the value chain. The stronger the links among these different parts, the better the whole system will function.