Nutrition Enhancement through
Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato:
Research on Agriculture for Improved Nutrition in Zambia
Protea Hotel, Arcades Shopping Centre
Lusaka
20 March 2012
Adoption and Dissemination in Eastern & Central Province
Emily Mueller (CIP-SSA) Martin Chiona (ZARI)
Concerns of Malnutrition in Zambia
Underinvestment in agriculture, prominence of HIV/AIDS, frequent
inclement weather patterns contributing to prominent hunger
issues and persistent chronic undernutrition
% Children < 5 yrsChronically
Undernourished
Prevalence of Underweight among
Children (< 5 yrs)
Proportion of Children Dying
before 5 yrs
Country 1990 2010 1990 2010 1990 2010
Malawi 45 29 24.4 15.5 22.5 10
Mozambique 59 37 28.4 21.2 12 9.8
Tanzania 28 35 25.1 16.7 15.7 10.4
Uganda 19 15 19.7 16.4 18.6 13.5
Zambia 40 45 19.5 14.9 17.2 14.8
Source: Deutsche Weilthungerhilfe et al. 2010
High levels (54%) of Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in children < 5 years
Other vulnerable groups include pregnant & lactating women, food
insecure and HIV/AIDS affected households
VAD can limit growth, weaken immunity, cause xeropthalmia
leading to blindness, and increased mortality risk
Major Sources of Vitamin A
Expensive animal sources (eggs, liver), highly
bioavailable as is preformed retinol (vitamin A itself)
Provitamin A carotenoids are found in plant foods such
as dark green leafy vegetables, and orange
vegetables and fruits, and orange-fleshed sweetpotato
(OFSP). B-carotene is major provitamin A carotenoid and
the dominant one in OFSP.
Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE):
12 beta-carotene: 1 retinol
Rates of conversion also depend on:
Whether fat is consumed (small
amounts increase absorption)
Health status (deficient individuals
convert at higher rates than replete)
66,929
252,867
0 50,000100,000150,000200,000250,000300,000
2005
2010
Sweetpotato Production (tons) in Zambia
278% increase
Dominant variety
Chingovwa:
yellow-fleshed
Source: Sixth National Development Plan
2011-1015, page 126.
Zambia: Sweetpotato widely grown on a
small scale & potential area expansion
Bosbok
Resisto
Efficacy
studies
1. Completed in South Africa in 2004
2. Modified relative dose response method
3. 120 gm. fed to school children for 5 days a
week for 3 months significantly improved
amounts of Vitamin A stored in the liver
Potential of OFSP
in combating VAD
Efficacy Study Among School Children in South Africa
van Jaarsveld et al., AJCN 81, 1080-87, 2005.
Can OFSP significantly contribute
To improving vitamin A status?
What is required to get impact at the
community level?
Evidence from Central Mozambique (2003-2004) demonstrated that
an integrated approach resulted in 15% decline in VAD prevalence
1) Agriculture
Access to OFSP varieties
that produce better than
local landraces
2) Nutrition
Dietary change through demand
creation & caregiver
empowerment
3) Marketing
Accelerates sustained
adoption, increases income
& diversifies use
Low, JW et al., Journal of Nutrition 137: 1320-1327, 2007
Follow-up study (Reaching End
Users) proved we could go to scale
(24,000 hhs) cost-effectively
203.5 198.7 187.8
530.4458.2
556.2615
571
350
863
1104
575
Model 1 Model 2 Control Model 1 Model 2 Control
CHILDREN 3.5–6 YEARS (MOZAMBIQUE) AND 5-7 YEARS (UGANDA) AT ENDLINE
Baseline Endline
UGANDAImpact: ΔM-ΔCModel 1: 314 µg RAE/dayModel 2: 628 µg RAE/day
MOZAMBIQUEImpact: ΔM-ΔCModel 1: 249 µg RAE/dayModel 2: 209 µg RAE/day
EAR for children 4-8 years
= 275 µg RAE per dayMOZAMBIQUE UGANDA
High adoption rates (>60%) & positive outcomes on Vitamin A intakes
among children and their mothers in 2 very different settings
Hotz, C. et al., British Journal of Nutrition , 2011
Wolfgang H PFEIFFERWolfgang H PFEIFFER
Integrating Orange in Zambia
PROJECT GOALS:
• To increase intake of Vitamin A, esp.
by young children and their mothers
• To reduce food insecurity in
Eastern Province
• Raise awareness in Central Province
OBJECTIVES DURING FIRST 4 YEARS:
• Adoption of OFSP sweetpotato in 15,000 targeted households
• Establishment of access to quality planting material
• Establishment of 2 profitable value chains
• Establishment of active, knowledgeable community integrating
OFSP into maize-dominant
cropping systems
On-Farm Varietal Assessment of OFSP
First two years with emphasis in
formative research:
On-farm research
Crop management
Vine multiplication
*
• Determine where varieties
perform best
• Identify entry points of OFSP
into existing food systems
Collaboration with ZARI & GART
Establish clean, disease-
free foundation stock
In-vitro culture for
OFSP varieties
ZARI,
CIP-Mozambique
Maintenance of clean
planting material on-farm
Training, promotion of
local farmers as
multipliers
Evaluation of root
storage methods for
extended growing
season
Improving Farmer Access to Quality
Planting Materials
Vine Dissemination & Market
Development
Establishment of vine multiplication plots
Centralized at Research Stations
(Msekera, Mansa, Mt. Makulu)
Decentralized at local farms
Dissemination through collaboration
Development of OFSP market
Preservation recipes (Katapola
Farm Institute)
Promotion of OFSP along
roadside markets
Processed foods (chips, bakery)
Expected Outcomes and Challenges
OUTCOMES
OFSP root consumption will significantly contribute to
improved vitamin A intake & status & increased production
to improved food security
Improved agronomic practices in sweetpotato management
will lead to increased adoption in maize-dominant systems
CHALLENGES
Acceptance of orange-fleshed
sweetpotato varieties
Developing effective vine delivery &
conservation practices in drought prone
areas
Building partnerships to maximize
nutritional impact of OFSP through joint
promotion campaigns & links to
community nutrition interventions
Acknowledgements
Wolfgang H PFEIFFERWolfgang H PFEIFFER
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www. sweetpotatoknowledge.org
