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Project information
»The problem
Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries of sub-Saharan
Africa, as well as one of the 35 countries identified by WHO
and FAO as being the most severely affected by vitamin A deficiency
(VAD). A recent study by Helen Keller International found
low levels of serum retinal for 85% of children 12-36 months
of age and for 64% of mothers in the Sanmatenga Province (ten
villages and one town), indicating that VAD is a public health
problem. It is widely recognized that micronutrient malnutrition
has significant negative impacts on human health, survival
and development. Vitamin A deficiency adversely affects vision,
bone growth, reproduction, cell division, and cell differentiation.
It also makes people much more vulnerable to diseases such
as malaria.
»The approach
Food-based strategies are a promising approach to ensure sustainable
improvements of vitamin A intakes for whole populations. Within
this context, the promotion of orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes
(OFSP), which are rich in beta carotene, is a promising strategy
for improving the vitamin A (VA) intake of women and children,
who are the most vulnerable segment of the population. In
Africa, sweetpotatoes are a staple crop, but varieties are
typically white and high in dry matter. In order to fulfill
the needs of farmers and consumers, OFSP varieties must have
high yields, good pest resistance and high dry-matter content.
Most of the work on development and utilization of OFSP to
date has been done in Eastern and Southern Africa, including
work done by projects receiving CCRP support : the  Sweetpotato
breeding (Uganda) and Sweetpotato
diversity (Kenya) projects. This project represents an
effort to bring the benefits of the Eastern and Southern African
work on micronutrient-enriched sweetpotato varieties, to micronutrient-deficient
populations in West Africa. The project will initially target
Burkina Faso but will also help to inform the future development
of similar projects in other countries in the Sahel. The agroclimactic
conditions in Burkina Faso are similar to those in the rest
of the Sahelian band of West African countries and cultural
practices related to sweetpotato production and consumption
are similar as well.
The project intends to address the following objectives:
- Develop and implement a model for more accurate assessment
of the production and consumption of sweetpotato in collaboration
with the national agricultural statistics division
.
- Introduce, disseminate and evaluate the uptake of new
high-yielding, high dry matter OFSP varieties through four
target groups (traditional sweetpotato producers, cereal
producers, women's gardening groups and school gardening
groups).
- Promote the production and consumption of OFSP and sweetpotato
leaves through advocacy and nutrition education at the national
and local levels
- Test the feasibility of shade drying of OFSP in collaboration
with selected women's groups and local non-governmental
organizations (NGOs)
.
- Enhance the capacity of local agricultural extension agents
and other local actors to use participatory methods in the
promotion, monitoring and evaluation of OFSP programs.
»The goal
To increase production and consumption of OFSP in two regions
of Burkina Faso (Sissili and Eastern Region) and inform OFSP
programs in the rest of West Africa.
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Investigators
»Partner institutions
»Investigators at Helen Keller
International (*=project leader)
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Ann Tarini*
Jean-Celestin Somda
Olivier Vebamba
Kuilga Marc Yameogo
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»Investigators at INERA/CREAF
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Annual progress reports
Click the links below for annual progress reports.
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Publications
None listed as of
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