The Quality Diets for Better Health (QDBH) project is an Activity carried out by the International Potato Center (PIN), People in Need (PIN) and Emory University between 2017 and 2021 in the Sidama and Gedeo Zones in the South of Ethiopia. The project is financed by the European Union and aims at reaching 15,000 rural households with orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) and nutrition education, and serving at least 61,000 urban consumers with fresh OFSP roots or with processed food that includes OFSP as an ingredient. It has supported research by students from Hawassa University on agriculture and nutrition related topics.
As part of this collaboration an experiment was carried out to measure the impact of validated leaflets with information about the nutritional benefits of OFSP on consumers’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP).
This experiment involved twenty vegetable retailers in Hawassa and their customers. During eight weeks, ten retailers in Hawassa received OFSP roots and leaflets with relevant information to hand out to their customers (treatment); the other ten only received roots (control). At the start and at the end of the experiment, five trained enumerators interviewed 632 customers by telephone using a standardized questionnaire. The study measured KAP scores at the beginning and the end of the trial. Initially, there was no statistically significant difference between both treatment arms. At the end, there was a significant improvement of KAP scores among those who received the leaflets compared with the start and with the control group, highlighting the potential of the dissemination of written material among urban consumers as a means to increase the demand for OFSP and to improve the intake of vitamin A.

The Quality Diets for Better Health Project is implemented by CIP, People in Need (PIN) and Rollins School for Public Health at Emory University in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) in Ethiopia. The project is financed by the European Union
The report presents the results of 1451 interviews in three districts in the Sidama and Gedeo Zones of SNNPR. The study used a slightly modified version of the monitoring and evaluation tools that were developed under CIP’s SASHA project,
The report provides insights in the local agriculture with emphasis on sweetpotato farming, food security and nutrition status at the start of project implementation. While constructed around the testing of the effectiveness of different interventions through the project’s outcome indicators it provides useful insights in the situation in each district.

This was the 5th year of the Status of Sweetpotato in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) annual report, which corresponds to the fifth year of the second phase of the Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative (SPHI), from July 2018 through June 2019. First, the report uses FAO data through 2017 (most recent year available) to look at the trends in area under sweetpotato compared to other crops in area expansion in SSA, then dives into area and production under sweetpotato in the 17 target countries under the SPHI by sub-region. Second, the report assesses progress made in dissemination improved sweetpotato varieties to users since the launching of the SPHI in 2009. The goal of the SPHI was to reach 10 million African households with improved varieties of sweetpotato by 2020 in 17 target countries. To accomplish this, breeding in Africa for Africa is essential to have adapted varieties that consumers like to eat. Thus, the report captures progress in varietal release by country. Progress in other indicators are touched upon before summarizing the findings of the annual update on the status of decentralized vine multipliers in 10 countries where data were collected using a phone interview. Maps showing the location of the multipliers by gender are provided.
The trend data in area under major field crops from 1995 through 2017 clearly show that the rate of expansion under potato and sweetpotato is faster than for all other field crops. Since 2015, sweetpotato has exceed potato in area expansion. Since 2009, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Rwanda have continued to expand in sweetpotato area in East and Central Africa; there is a concerning decline in area and production in 2010 in Uganda. In West Africa, area and production in sweetpotato continue to expand in Nigeria since 2009. The levels dwarf what is happening in other West African countries, but poor statistics limits our ability to track progress in this sub-region. In Southern Africa since 2009, Malawi and Angola have demonstrated the strongest growth in area under sweetpotato; in terms of production, Malawi clearly dominates, which variable production statistics for other countries due to the unpredictable occurrence of drought. A major change this year, is that the FAO corrected its statistic database for Malawi, which in previous years incorrectly recorded sweetpotato under potato. In 2017, the top four sweetpotato producing countries in the FAOSTAT database from highest to lowest were Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Since 2009, 150 improved sweetpotato varieties have been released by 16 SSA countries, of which 100 or two-thirds, are orange-fleshed. During the past year, 16 varieties were released by four countries (Kenya, Burundi, Ghana and Burkina Faso).
The total number of beneficiaries reached during this reporting period was 427,103 households (295,205 direct and 131,898 indirect beneficiary households) which is about 39% less than the beneficiaries reached during the previous reporting period. This brings the total number of beneficiary households reached to 6,224,647, 62% of the target. In terms of individuals reach, we estimate 29,595,005 persons, based on average rural household size for a given country.
741 of the 1,030 decentralized vine multipliers recorded in previous years were reached by phone for an update survey in 11 SSA countries. Among these, 76.2% were actively producing vines while 23.8% reported to have stopped vine production citing lack of market as the major contributor and drought as the second most constraint towards continued vine production. Vine multiplication in the 11 SPHI countries is predominantly done by men who constitute 70.3% of those contacted compared to 29.7% women.

The report ends with a discussion for the way forward. Resource mobilization needs to intensify so that the dissemination effort stays on track. Several impact studies are underway which are assessing varietal performance and uptake in key countries like Malawi and Uganda. Clearly, there is a need to continue monitoring progress in sweetpotato varietal dissemination and uptake. A committee is currently assessing continuing with the SPHI construct through 2023 so that the 10 million household goal is attained. It is an opportunity to reflect on how the SPHI can be strengthened to ensure continued progress and to improve the functioning of the overall partnership.

This was the 5th year of the Status of Sweetpotato in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) annual report, which corresponds to the fifth year of the second phase of the Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative (SPHI), from July 2018 through June 2019. First, the report uses FAO data through 2017 (most recent year available) to look at the trends in area under sweetpotato compared to other crops in area expansion in SSA, then dives into area and production under sweetpotato in the 17 target countries under the SPHI by sub-region. Second, the report assesses progress made in dissemination improved sweetpotato varieties to users since the launching of the SPHI in 2009. The goal of the SPHI was to reach 10 million African households with improved varieties of sweetpotato by 2020 in 17 target countries. To accomplish this, breeding in Africa for Africa is essential to have adapted varieties that consumers like to eat. Thus, the report captures progress in varietal release by country. Progress in other indicators are touched upon before summarizing the findings of the annual update on the status of decentralized vine multipliers in 10 countries where data were collected using a phone interview. Maps showing the location of the multipliers by gender are provided.
The trend data in area under major field crops from 1995 through 2017 clearly show that the rate of expansion under potato and sweetpotato is faster than for all other field crops. Since 2015, sweetpotato has exceed potato in area expansion. Since 2009, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Rwanda have continued to expand in sweetpotato area in East and Central Africa; there is a concerning decline in area and production in 2010 in Uganda. In West Africa, area and production in sweetpotato continue to expand in Nigeria since 2009. The levels dwarf what is happening in other West African countries, but poor statistics limits our ability to track progress in this sub-region. In Southern Africa since 2009, Malawi and Angola have demonstrated the strongest growth in area under sweetpotato; in terms of production, Malawi clearly dominates, which variable production statistics for other countries due to the unpredictable occurrence of drought. A major change this year, is that the FAO corrected its statistic database for Malawi, which in previous years incorrectly recorded sweetpotato under potato. In 2017, the top four sweetpotato producing countries in the FAOSTAT database from highest to lowest were Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Since 2009, 150 improved sweetpotato varieties have been released by 16 SSA countries, of which 100 or two-thirds, are orange-fleshed. During the past year, 16 varieties were released by four countries (Kenya, Burundi, Ghana and Burkina Faso).
The total number of beneficiaries reached during this reporting period was 427,103 households (295,205 direct and 131,898 indirect beneficiary households) which is about 39% less than the beneficiaries reached during the previous reporting period. This brings the total number of beneficiary households reached to 6,224,647, 62% of the target. In terms of individuals reach, we estimate 29,595,005 persons, based on average rural household size for a given country.
741 of the 1,030 decentralized vine multipliers recorded in previous years were reached by phone for an update survey in 11 SSA countries. Among these, 76.2% were actively producing vines while 23.8% reported to have stopped vine production citing lack of market as the major contributor and drought as the second most constraint towards continued vine production. Vine multiplication in the 11 SPHI countries is predominantly done by men who constitute 70.3% of those contacted compared to 29.7% women.

The report ends with a discussion for the way forward. Resource mobilization needs to intensify so that the dissemination effort stays on track. Several impact studies are underway which are assessing varietal performance and uptake in key countries like Malawi and Uganda. Clearly, there is a need to continue monitoring progress in sweetpotato varietal dissemination and uptake. A committee is currently assessing continuing with the SPHI construct through 2023 so that the 10 million household goal is attained. It is an opportunity to reflect on how the SPHI can be strengthened to ensure continued progress and to improve the functioning of the overall partnership.

Homemade delicious sweetpotato ice cream recipe

The “Quality Diets for Better Health” (QDBH) project is a 54 months activity financed by the European Union working in four woredas (districts) in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional (SNNPR) State in Ethiopia. The project is implemented by the International Potato Centre (CIP) with People in Need (PIN) and Rollins School of Nutrition at Emory University in Atlanta. QDBH aims to improve the intake of vitamin A and of food security of 15,000 rural households through so-called “Healthy Living Clubs” (HLCs). These clubs consist of 30 households with pregnant women or young children and meet once a month to discuss infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. They receive new orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties to help them grow their own nutritious food and to supply to the market. The project also tests the effectiveness of a “Healthy Baby Toolkit” as a vehicle to support the improvement of IYCF by following a the member households of 26 of these HLCs over a one-year period. The base-line study presents the results of interviews of 605 HLC member households from 20 kebeles (wards) in three woredas at the start of their nutrition training program.

Read and download the portugese version of our famous “Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) Passport to Good Health”. This passport-sized document contains all the facts and figures you need to know about orange-fleshed sweetpotato from its nutritional value, how it can be used, who to contact for varieties, contact information for the various organizations working on disseminating OFSP and other sources of information. A product of the Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative, that seeks to reach 10 million African households by 2020 with improved varieties of sweetpotato and their diversified use.

Read and download the portugese version of our famous “Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) Passport to Good Health”. This passport-sized document contains all the facts and figures you need to know about orange-fleshed sweetpotato from its nutritional value, how it can be used, who to contact for varieties, contact information for the various organizations working on disseminating OFSP and other sources of information. A product of the Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative, that seeks to reach 10 million African households by 2020 with improved varieties of sweetpotato and their diversified use.

Good news!
Check out a french version of our famous “”Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) Passport to Good Health”. This passport-sized document contains all the facts and figures you need to know about orange-fleshed sweetpotato from its nutritional value, how it can be used, who to contact for varieties, contact information for the various organizations working on disseminating OFSP and other sources of information. A product of the Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative, that seeks to reach 10 million African households by 2020 with improved varieties of sweetpotato and their diversified use.

Sweetpotato Research Guides (SPRGs) This document describes technologies that have been developed and used by CIP in cooperation with national agriculture research programs to promote research and the exchange of information among sweetpotato scientists. Procedures and forms for data collection described here are now being used in integrated electronic tools such as Highly Interactive Data Analysis Platform for Breeding (HIDAP) and Sweetpotato base for the design of trials, and collection, archiving and analysis of data.

Sweetpotato Research Guides (SPRGs) This document describes technologies that have been developed and used by CIP in cooperation with national agriculture research programs to promote research and the exchange of information among sweetpotato scientists. Procedures and forms for data collection described here are now being used in integrated electronic tools such as Highly Interactive Data Analysis Platform for Breeding (HIDAP) and Sweetpotato base for the design of trials, and collection, archiving and analysis of data.

Abstract: This study reports the inherent phytochemicals contents in leaves and roots of nine sweetpotato varieties from Kenya. Results indicated that vitamin C content varied significantly (P<0.05) among the sweetpotato varieties regardless of the plant part, leaves having significantly (P<0.05) higher levels than in the roots. Total flavonoids and phenolic compounds differed significantly (P<0.05) among varieties, higher values were found in leaves than in roots. Flavonoids content in roots ranged from below detectable limits (Whitesp) to 25.8 mg CE/100 g (SPK031), while in leaves it ranged from 4097 to 7316 mg CE/100 g in SPK4 and Kenspot 5, respectively. Phenolic content was below detectable limit in the roots of whitesp but it was in substantial amounts in orange fleshed varieties. The β-carotene content was significantly (P< 0.05) higher in leaves (16.43-34.47 mg/100 g dry weight) than in roots (not detected-11.1 mg/100 g dry weight). Total and phytic phosphorus were directly correlated with phytates contents in leaves and the roots. Tannins and soluble oxalates varied significantly (P<0.05) with variety and plant part being higher in leaves. The current information is important for ration formulations and dietary recommendations utilizing sweetpotato leaves and roots. Future studies on effects of processing methods on these phytochemicals are recommended.

This sweetpotato IPPM curriculum gives an insight into sweetpotato variety selection, experimentaion, strengths and weaknesses of farmers’ experiments, an introduction to some the principles of experimental design, planning the FFS experiments, sources of planting material, healthy planting material and dry season preservation of planting material, rapid multiplication technique, soil fertility and plant nutrition, how soils differ, plant nutrition and comparing different nutrient sources, nutrient deficiency symptoms, nitrogen fixing plants, crop development, observing the crop and its environment, presenting and analysing the agroecosystem results, what is damages sweetpotato plants, whether there are natural enemies for insects and pests and what they are, defoliation, leaf damage versus yield loss, defoliation experiment, sweetpotato diseases and how farmers manage them, sources of disease infection, whether disease incidences can be linked to where farmers plant sweetpotato, Sweetpotato virus disease, weeds, when it is a good time to harvest, bartering and yield, yield assessment contests , assessing the total root weight yield and value of the field before harvesting, harvesting the FFS field, Why farmers should store sweetpotato roots, a simple fresh storage technique , adding value to the sweetpotato crop, economic analysis of the sweetpotato enterprise, and sweetpotato cultivation record keeping.

This sweetpotato IPPM curriculum gives an insight into sweetpotato variety selection, experimentaion, strengths and weaknesses of farmers’ experiments, an introduction to some the principles of experimental design, planning the FFS experiments, sources of planting material, healthy planting material and dry season preservation of planting material, rapid multiplication technique, soil fertility and plant nutrition, how soils differ, plant nutrition and comparing different nutrient sources, nutrient deficiency symptoms, nitrogen fixing plants, crop development, observing the crop and its environment, presenting and analysing the agroecosystem results, what is damages sweetpotato plants, whether there are natural enemies for insects and pests and what they are, defoliation, leaf damage versus yield loss, defoliation experiment, sweetpotato diseases and how farmers manage them, sources of disease infection, whether disease incidences can be linked to where farmers plant sweetpotato, Sweetpotato virus disease, weeds, when it is a good time to harvest, bartering and yield, yield assessment contests , assessing the total root weight yield and value of the field before harvesting, harvesting the FFS field, Why farmers should store sweetpotato roots, a simple fresh storage technique , adding value to the sweetpotato crop, economic analysis of the sweetpotato enterprise, and sweetpotato cultivation record keeping.

This manual explains the procedures involved in setting up the sandponics system and managing it to multiply sweetpotato pre‐basic seed to ensure a dependable supply of high‐quality planting materials.