• Home
  • Advertisement
  • Contact Us
  • English
Thursday, February 2, 2023
  • Login
Mozambique Agri
  • News
    • All
    • Crops
    • Diary
    • Fresh Produce
    • Game & Wildlife
    • Livestock
    At least 3 kg of food grown in Mozambique’s fields is lost due to inefficient processing, transportation, and storage-World Bank

    A change to hotter conditions is a looming challenge in the agricultural sector in the Southern African region

    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    Natafim SA expands drip-line manufacturing plant

    Natafim SA expands drip-line manufacturing plant

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Farming in South Africa; Six Things That Need Urgent Attention in 2023

    Farming in South Africa; Six Things That Need Urgent Attention in 2023

    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

  • Africa
    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Africa’s new agriculture pledge on the cards

    Africa’s new agriculture pledge on the cards

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    2026 declared World Year of Pastoralism

    2026 declared World Year of Pastoralism

  • Company
    Norway pledges to build resilience of small aquaculture farmers in East and Southern Africa

    Norway pledges to build resilience of small aquaculture farmers in East and Southern Africa

    Tropical Cyclone Ana: WFP ready to provide food and logistics support for rescue and relief operations

    Tropical Cyclone Ana: WFP ready to provide food and logistics support for rescue and relief operations

    Mozambique authorities seek to combat biodiversity devastation by clamping on illicit fishing

    Mozambique authorities seek to combat biodiversity devastation by clamping on illicit fishing

    World Bank, UN launch programme to help Mozambique improve forestry management

    World Bank, UN launch programme to help Mozambique improve forestry management

    Basis of the Nampula economy calls for a re-orientation of efforts towards the most profitable cash crops, Says Nyusi

    Basis of the Nampula economy calls for a re-orientation of efforts towards the most profitable cash crops, Says Nyusi

    Sporadic rains worry Zambezi farmers

    UN announces US$1.2mln animal health programme for Mozambique

  • International
    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

    First Special Agriculture Industrial Zone launched in Mozambique

    EIMA 2022: Unlocking the growth potential of Africa’s Agribusiness

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Italian industry Growing Turnover despite the Economic Situation

    Italian industry Growing Turnover despite the Economic Situation

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    African women playing a critical role in local economic development

    Lusophone countries benefit from Africa Investment Forum

  • Markets
    It is through collective efforts and pursuit of mutual agreements and regional approaches and strategies that SADC can fully address national and intercountry investments on agriculture

    It is through collective efforts and pursuit of mutual agreements and regional approaches and strategies that SADC can fully address national and intercountry investments on agriculture

    Africa’s local ownership drive must balance foreign investment

    President Nyusi reminds investors of the agricultural opportunities available in Mocuba District

    Russia-Ukraine war poses upsides risks on African agriculture: Economist

    Russia-Ukraine war poses upsides risks on African agriculture: Economist

    Mozambique Fisheries on high vigilance following outbreak of fish disease in Malawi

    Mozambique Fisheries on high vigilance following outbreak of fish disease in Malawi

    Govt’s initiative to boost cotton and cashew income

    Govt’s initiative to boost cotton and cashew income

    Maize planter calibration to improve your profitability

    Maize planter calibration to improve your profitability

  • Equipment
    IMPROVING WATER QUALITY TO ENSURE SUCCESS OF BROILER BUSINESS

    IMPROVING WATER QUALITY TO ENSURE SUCCESS OF BROILER BUSINESS

    AWARD targets to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods

    AWARD targets to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    African women playing a critical role in local economic development

    Lusophone countries benefit from Africa Investment Forum

    President Nyusi excited about the prospects the new vegetable oil factory brings

    President Nyusi excited about the prospects the new vegetable oil factory brings

    Russian company to make a humanitarian fertilisers shipment to Africa

    Russian company to make a humanitarian fertilisers shipment to Africa

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • All
    • Crops
    • Diary
    • Fresh Produce
    • Game & Wildlife
    • Livestock
    At least 3 kg of food grown in Mozambique’s fields is lost due to inefficient processing, transportation, and storage-World Bank

    A change to hotter conditions is a looming challenge in the agricultural sector in the Southern African region

    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    Natafim SA expands drip-line manufacturing plant

    Natafim SA expands drip-line manufacturing plant

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Farming in South Africa; Six Things That Need Urgent Attention in 2023

    Farming in South Africa; Six Things That Need Urgent Attention in 2023

    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

  • Africa
    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

    Africa’s new agriculture pledge on the cards

    Africa’s new agriculture pledge on the cards

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    2026 declared World Year of Pastoralism

    2026 declared World Year of Pastoralism

  • Company
    Norway pledges to build resilience of small aquaculture farmers in East and Southern Africa

    Norway pledges to build resilience of small aquaculture farmers in East and Southern Africa

    Tropical Cyclone Ana: WFP ready to provide food and logistics support for rescue and relief operations

    Tropical Cyclone Ana: WFP ready to provide food and logistics support for rescue and relief operations

    Mozambique authorities seek to combat biodiversity devastation by clamping on illicit fishing

    Mozambique authorities seek to combat biodiversity devastation by clamping on illicit fishing

    World Bank, UN launch programme to help Mozambique improve forestry management

    World Bank, UN launch programme to help Mozambique improve forestry management

    Basis of the Nampula economy calls for a re-orientation of efforts towards the most profitable cash crops, Says Nyusi

    Basis of the Nampula economy calls for a re-orientation of efforts towards the most profitable cash crops, Says Nyusi

    Sporadic rains worry Zambezi farmers

    UN announces US$1.2mln animal health programme for Mozambique

  • International
    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

    Macfrut 2023,Turkey to participate in International Blueberry Days

    First Special Agriculture Industrial Zone launched in Mozambique

    EIMA 2022: Unlocking the growth potential of Africa’s Agribusiness

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Italian industry Growing Turnover despite the Economic Situation

    Italian industry Growing Turnover despite the Economic Situation

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    EIMA International 2022, a Global Event Returns

    African women playing a critical role in local economic development

    Lusophone countries benefit from Africa Investment Forum

  • Markets
    It is through collective efforts and pursuit of mutual agreements and regional approaches and strategies that SADC can fully address national and intercountry investments on agriculture

    It is through collective efforts and pursuit of mutual agreements and regional approaches and strategies that SADC can fully address national and intercountry investments on agriculture

    Africa’s local ownership drive must balance foreign investment

    President Nyusi reminds investors of the agricultural opportunities available in Mocuba District

    Russia-Ukraine war poses upsides risks on African agriculture: Economist

    Russia-Ukraine war poses upsides risks on African agriculture: Economist

    Mozambique Fisheries on high vigilance following outbreak of fish disease in Malawi

    Mozambique Fisheries on high vigilance following outbreak of fish disease in Malawi

    Govt’s initiative to boost cotton and cashew income

    Govt’s initiative to boost cotton and cashew income

    Maize planter calibration to improve your profitability

    Maize planter calibration to improve your profitability

  • Equipment
    IMPROVING WATER QUALITY TO ENSURE SUCCESS OF BROILER BUSINESS

    IMPROVING WATER QUALITY TO ENSURE SUCCESS OF BROILER BUSINESS

    AWARD targets to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods

    AWARD targets to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    Agricultural machinery: High demand on the world market

    African women playing a critical role in local economic development

    Lusophone countries benefit from Africa Investment Forum

    President Nyusi excited about the prospects the new vegetable oil factory brings

    President Nyusi excited about the prospects the new vegetable oil factory brings

    Russian company to make a humanitarian fertilisers shipment to Africa

    Russian company to make a humanitarian fertilisers shipment to Africa

No Result
View All Result
Mozambique Agri
No Result
View All Result
Home News Crops

Sweet potato ‘ideal dual-purpose crop’ for smallholders

Ian by Ian
June 20, 2019
in Crops, Fresh Produce, Markets, News
0
Sweet potato ‘ideal dual-purpose crop’ for smallholders
0
SHARES
151
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Orange-fleshed sweet potato leaves and roots are more ideal for boosting food security and solving nutritional deficiencies in resource-poor households rather than promoting their large-scale production for sale, a study suggests.

According to a 2012 survey conducted by South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council, about 44 percent of preschool children and 25 percent of women at childbearing age in the country were deficient in vitamin A.

Aware of micronutrient deficiencies known as ‘hidden hunger’ being a major problem affecting mostly rural resource-poor households in Sub-Saharan Africa, researchers say that supplementing diets with food rich in micronutrients including vitamin A is a potential solution.

“In most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the storage root of orange-fleshed sweet potato is consumed whereas the leaves are underutilised,” says Melvin Nyathi, researcher in vegetable and ornamental plants at the Netherlands-based Wageningen University and Research, and lead author of the study published in the Journal of Water Management last month (20 May).

In December-May 2014 and November-May in 2015, the researchers conducted a field study on the suitability of orange-fleshed sweet potato leaves and roots having a dual purpose of increasing food security and addressing nutritional deficiencies. The experiments assessed the production conditions of rural resource-poor smallholders including use of fertilisers.

“Utilising orange-fleshed sweet potato as a dual-purpose food crop is not an ideal practice for market-oriented farming; the loss of marketable storage root was about 50 per cent under well-fertilised conditions,” says the study. “[It] can be considered for less market-oriented rural resource-poor households.”

Nyathi explains: “Key findings of this study showed that utilising orange-fleshed sweet potato as a dual-purpose food crop will improve nutritional food security of rural resource-poor households because the leaves are available for consumption as a relish during the growing period and at the end of the growing period, the storage roots become available.”

He adds that smallholders should be encouraged to produce orange-fleshed sweet potato for their own consumption.

According to Nyathi, current government policies acknowledge the need to achieve higher food productivity but are silent on nutritional food security for all because they support higher productivity of mainstream crops.

“Policymakers should set up a new agenda that could play a major role in improving nutritional food security of the poor by promoting crops that are highly nutritious including orange-fleshed sweet potato, which has a potential of being used as a dual-purpose food crop,” he says.

Sunette Laurie, a sweet potato breeding expert based at South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council, says the study is important because it provides more evidence of the potential use of this tasty starchy crop to be used and promoted as both a food crop and a solution to nutritional deficiencies.

Orange-fleshed sweet potato is fairly easy to grow, and the crop does not require much input after the first month as the canopy closes the area and weeding is not required further, Laurie adds.

She calls for South African policymakers to include orange-fleshed potato growing in programmes that targets smallholders to help achieve big impacts.

“In this way, South Africans would enjoy the benefits of orange-fleshed sweet potato [just like their counterparts] in countries such as Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Uganda,” she says.

Previous Post

Grapes Indaba convenes in Italy

Next Post

AGCO and AT Capital S.A to develop PAM agri project in Mozambique

Next Post
AGCO and AT Capital S.A to develop PAM agri project in Mozambique

AGCO and AT Capital S.A to develop PAM agri project in Mozambique

April – June 2022

Recent News

At least 3 kg of food grown in Mozambique’s fields is lost due to inefficient processing, transportation, and storage-World Bank

A change to hotter conditions is a looming challenge in the agricultural sector in the Southern African region

January 30, 2023
AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

AfDB commits $10 billion to fight food insecurity

January 30, 2023
Natafim SA expands drip-line manufacturing plant

Natafim SA expands drip-line manufacturing plant

January 23, 2023

A change to hotter conditions is a looming challenge in the agricultural sector in the Southern African region

Africa’s Vast Arable Land Underutilised for Cash and Food Crops

2022-2023 cashew marketing campaign expected to earn cashew producers US$ 87 million

New Amarex

New Amarex
Mozambique Agri

Moz-Agri Magazine is a source of news worthy information in the Mozambican agricultural sector with a nationwide distribution boasting of a decent print run of 9,350 copies per edition.

  • Advertisement
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Moz-Agri Magazine | Website by NES Africa Group.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Advertisement
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Moz-Agri Magazine | Website by NES Africa Group.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In