The overall goal of VISTA Tanzania is to contribute to improved dietary diversity, food security and incomes in Tanzania, especially among households with children under five years of age. The purpose is to extend the production, consumption & marketing of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) products among 21,000 smallholder farmers and 20 medium size farmers in seven districts within the FTF zones of influence.

VISTA Tanzania pursues four specific objectives which will deliver the following outputs:

OBJECTIVE 1: INCREASED PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF NUTRITIOUS OFSP VARIETIES THROUGH AN INTEGRATED AGRICULTURE-NUTRITION TECHNOLOGY SET

Output 1.1: Agro-ecologically adapted OFSP varieties with market attributes available for uptake by root producers Output 1.2: Entrepreneurs establish financially sustainable medium scale seed (and root) enterprises linked to: up-stream source of quality pre-basic OFSP planting material; and down-stream individual and community group demand for planting material Output 1.3: Smallholder and medium scale farmers grow OFSP and realize increased productivity through accessing quality planting material and applying improved agronomic practices

OBJECTIVE 2: IMPROVED NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES

Output 2.1 Households receive Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) (including knowledge on OFSP utilization and consumption) Output 2.2 Staff from target districts trained in improved nutrition counseling Output 2.3 Various nutrition messages and counseling implemented in target districts including vitamin A rich foods and OFSP

OBJECTIVE 3: ROOT PRODUCERS AND TRADERS UTILIZE IMPROVED STORAGE AND MARKETING OF FRESH OFSP ROOTS

Output 2.1 Technologies for improved storage and marketing practices of fresh roots disseminated Output 2.2 Selected fresh OFSP root market chains improved

OBJECTIVE 4: IMPROVED EVIDENCE BASED AND POLICY SUPPORT FOR OFSP PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION

Output 3.1 Staff from GoT and NGOs trained in Sweetpotato TOT Output 3.2 Strengthen the evidence for OFSP production and nutrition support in target districts Output 3.3 Learning events for stakeholders at district and national levels   PROJECT LEADER: Frederick Grant (Phd) PROJECT MEMBERS: Rogers Kakuhenzire (Phd), Haile Selassie Okuku, Meshack Mwenda, Cleophas Mkuyu, Boniface Sembuche, Nicholas Msangi, Deogratias Semwiza