Introduction of Orange Flesh Sweet Potato in the

Aquatic Agricultural Systems

Sonia Allauca Saguano, Research Assistant

Shakuntala Thilsted, Senior Nutrition Adviser

An experience in value chain development

Presentation overview

• Introduction• Objectives• Undertaken Activities• Carrying out of Activities• Conclusions

Introduction

WorldFish has distributed planting vines of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) as a part of the CSISA and IFAD Project.

Some OFSP are high in vitamin A , introduced as a new vegetable in homestead gardens for improving nutrition of women and young children.

Vitamin A deficiency is a nutritional problem in Bangladesh. Vitamin A can be stored in the body and therefore seasonal consumption is not a problem. Both roots and leaves are being promoted for consumption.

Sweet potato (SP) is not a staple food in the Bangladeshi diet. Requires minimal management; can grow on marginal soils and is saline-tolerant. SP is an important crop for disaster relief.

OFSP integrates well in aquatic agricultural systems, cultivated on dykes of ghers and ponds.

The introduction of OFSP, in particular combined with other foods such as nutrient-rich small indigenous fish, holds great potential for improving nutrition and generate income among rural households.

Objectives

Introduction of OFSP as a vitamin A-rich vegetable in the homestead garden and dykes of ghers and ponds to improve nutrition and generate incomes

.

UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIES

Value Chain Activities

Production• Training on OFSP cultivation and

propagation

Consumption

• Acceptability studies of consumption roots and leaves

• Analysis of nutrient composition

Marketing

• Small market of OFSP Leaves and roots

• Big market of vines

Undertaken Activities

PRODUCTION• Training on cultivation of OFSP (80% households did not

know)• Planted October- November 2011. Harvest: leaves January-

April, roots - April.

Production Localities

• 6 HUBs CSISA

Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur, Mymensingh, Rangpur

• 3 IFAD :

Rangpur, Dinajpur and Sunamgonj

• HKI

Chittagong

Undertaken Activities

Undertaken Activities

• CSISA: 568 households (predominantly smallholder marginal and women farmers involved in small scale aquaculture.

• IFAD funded Fish and Nutrition Project

(Rangpur, Dinajpur): 64 Households

• Helen Keller International (HKI) (Khagrachari): 21 Households

Production Participants

Production OFSP Varieties

• Three varieties of OFSP were planted. Total vines 63,500• SP4 (medium vitamin A and low dry matter) SP7 (low vitamin A

and high dry matter) and SP8 (low vitamin A and high dry matter).

BARI SP4 (orange flesh

and skin)

BARI SP7 (cream flesh and

yellow skin)

BARI SP8 (pale orange flesh

and red skin)

Undertaken Activities

CONSUMPTION

Cooking Demonstrations• The OFSP leaves and roots were prepared using local

methods and ingredients.

Undertaken Activities

Acceptability study • The tasting evaluation of

the OFSP leaves and roots by women and young children.

Undertaken Activities

Consumption

Consume Acceptability study• Good acceptability of coked leaves and roots. • The boiled roots were not very well- accepted, especially SP4 (low dry matter). It

increased when the roots were prepared in a dish, combined with other foods.

Curry Leaves Boiled root khitchury root Curry root Mashed root0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

SP4

SP7

SP8

Consumer Preferences of meal by variety

Per

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tag

e (o

ut

of

10

0%

)

Undertaken Activities

Production Acceptability

• OFSP requires minimal labor, fertilizer and pesticide; saline-tolerant and grow on marginal soils.

• Problems: Weevils. Late planting. Vines theft (leaves).

Undertaken Activities

Nutritional Analysis• Preliminary results

Total carotenoid in the OFSP leaves samples :

Product Unit Price (BDT)

Leaves Kg 10-15

Roots Kg 15-22

Vines vine 0.5

Undertaken Activities

MARKETING

• HH generated incomes by selling:

CARRYING OUT OF ATIVITIES

• Households produced 58,000 vines• Earn 43,500 BDT (0.75/vine)

Sources SP-4 SP-7 SP-8 0.75 BDT/vine

Jessore Hub (CSISA Farmers)

10,000 7,500

Mymensingh Hub (CSISA Farmers)

15,000 8,000 17250

Rangpur Hub (CSISA Farmers)

20,000 5,000 18750

Total 10,000 35,000 13,000 43,500

Marketing

Carrying out of Activities

• Increase number of hh with OFSP. Last year 653 hh, this year 2580

• 49% coming from Households production, 51% BRAC

Projects Total Vines Total # beneficiaries

CSISA 138500 1385

FtF Aqua 39000 390

IFAD 40500 405

HKI 40000 400

Total 258000 2580

Carrying out of Activities

• M&E - Data collection for economic analysis of OFSP performance: production, costs and incomes.

• Nutritional value of sweet potato leaves and roots, raw and cooked samples.

• Propagation of sweet potato vines from the households that planted OFSP to continue planted for the next season.

• Get more get Nutrient rich varieties of OFSP in collaboration with CIP.

Conclusions

• The positive acceptance of women in growing OFSP for consumption and market gives a good potential for inclusion in aquatic agricultural systems.

• Growing OFSP is beneficial, it requires minimal labor and inputs (fertilizer and pesticide). It can be planted on little land like homestead garden, dykes of ponds, and integrate well in aquaculture agricultural systems.

• OFSP is a dual purpose crop as both leaves and roots can be eaten, and can be included in the daily meal of the families to improve their nutrition.

• The marketing of roots, leaves and vines is great potential for generation incomes.

 • Working with partners to select suitable OFSP varieties with high vitamin A content

in both leaves and roots, which can be recommended as nutrient –rich foods to complement local meals of hh.

Thank you