CIP and partners are providing access to quality OFSP planting material by creating a network of decentralized multiplication sites and trained farmer multipliers to serve surrounding communities through vine distribution.  The households consume leaves and roots and sell the surplus in the open market and to bakeries.  The implementation strategy includes:

• Testing of drought-tolerant OFSP varieties in participatory On-Farm-Trials (OFTs) with farmers, to select the best varieties at the community levels with the producers men and women;
• Identifying and training decentralized vine multipliers (DVMs) so that quality planting materials of the new varieties preferred by farmers can be easily accessed;
• Conducting training programs, field days and technical backstopping;
• Coordinating distribution of vines to rural households in collaboration with partner organizations;
• Informing communities about the nutritional value of OFSP through demand creation campaigns;
• Linking to nutrition efforts led by others to increase impact on dietary practices;
• Facilitating fresh root market development and OFSP processed product utilization.

Who we are working with: IIAM, Association Progresso (AP) and Diocese de Niassa (Anglican diocese) are the major partners.  In the third year, collaboration expanded with public sector extension in the eight districts for mass multiplication, and UCA and ADPP  also participated.  With its own funds, SETSAN distributed OFSP vines to other districts in Niassa.  Two new bakers (Pao Dourado and one small baker) starting testing the OFSP Power bread in 2015.  

Project Leader: Benjamin Rakotoarisoa

Project Members: Carolino Martinho Antonio (IIAM); Arnaldo Maximiliano Maloa Maloa (SETSAN)