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The Problem

In many African and South Asian countries, Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is considered a major public health problem, affecting almost a quarter of the population, and one that requires appropriate nutrition interventions. VAD causes morbidity, poor cognitive development, nutritional blindness, reduced immunity, and in some cases, death in children especially under the age of five years as well as poor productivity in adults. Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP)
is a nutritious type of sweetpotato that has a huge potential of reducing VAD, especially among children under five years of age, the group most at risk of VAD. Only 125 grams of most OFSP varieties supply the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A for children under five years of age. In addition, the short maturity (3-4 months), low input requirement and ease of integration into kitchen gardens makes OFSP an excellent food-based approach to reduce the high prevalence of VAD.