Orange-fleshed sweetpotato production: Progress and perspectives for value chain development in West Africa

Abstract

Africa and Asia bear the greatest cases of vitamin A deficiency whereas Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) as a possible solution to vitamin A deficiency, brings income, food and nutritional security for smallholders involved in its production. Reports indicated low adoption of OFSP in West Africa due to poor value chains and wide adoption of White- Fleshed Sweetpotato (WFSP). Here, we reviewed OFSP interventions and programmes undertaken in West Africa, identified constraints limiting OFSP production, and updated the required actions for OFSP value chains development in West Africa. We reported 10 significant interventions and 20 released OFSP varieties within 4 countries. The main bottlenecks to OFSP value chains development are the lack of improved cultivars exhibiting high and stable yield potential, predominance of WFSP, non-exposition of whole population to OFSP varieties, limited number of improved OFSP varieties avail- able, and inadequacy of improved OFSP varieties to smallholder preferences. The roles of donors, research institutions, local partners, and smallholder’s contributions in increas- ing OFSP production and consumption are provided. This will fuel the development of strong OFSP value chains in West Africa.