Effect of exposure to biofortified crops on smallholder farm household adoption decisions: The case of orange-fleshed sweetpotato in Ghana and Nigeria

Gender mainstreaming in sweetpotato breeding and dissemination in Ghana and Malawi

Gender responsiveness in breeding programs to meet client and end user preferences for crops is essential. This case study analyzes the implementation experience of gender-responsive breeding and variety dissemination in Malawi and Ghana, focusing on good practices and challenges encountered. In Malawi, a training-of-trainers approach was employed to share knowledge among trained farmers. In Ghana, a research study was conducted to identify gender-based preferences for sweetpotato to define breeding objectives. The participation of social scientists, food scientists, and sweetpotato breeders in the GREAT (Gender Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation) team provided a multidisciplinary perspective, addressing questions and responses in the field. Research efforts were strengthened by focusing on food quality through the establishment of an analytical laboratory for rapid evaluation of nutrition and food quality, including sugars. This helped develop sensory analytical capacity to better understand quality attributes and market segments, guiding breeding and improving market opportunities for women. Breeding outcomes resulting from gender inclusion led to the release of some sweetpotato varieties meeting end user and consumer preferences, as well as adoption of OFSP varieties by men and women. Other good practices for gender inclusion and responsiveness include providing funds for gender-based research and activities, engaging gender specialists and social scientists in trans-disciplinary teams, designing program activities with gender considerations, and incorporating traits in seed multiplication and dissemination decisions. Application of these gender inclusion practices resulted in adoption and development of acceptable sweetpotato varieties.

Household-Level Coverage of Iron-Biofortified Beans in the Northern Province of Rwanda

Background

Biofortification, the process of enhancing the micronutrient content of staple crops, is a nutrition-sensitive agricultural intervention with the potential to increase micronutrient intakes and improve health outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations. Although data are available on the number of farming households that grow biofortified crops, information on the coverage of biofortified foods in the general population is limited. Such information is critical to assess the performance of biofortification programs and guide decisions related to program implementation while ascertaining progress toward achieving expected impacts.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the household coverage of iron-biofortified beans (IBBs) in rural areas of the Northern Province of Rwanda.

Methods

We applied methods previously used to assess coverage in large-scale food fortification programs to develop coverage indicators for IBBs. These indicators were 1) consumption of beans in any form; 2) awareness of IBBs; 3) availability of IBBs; 4) consumption of IBBs (ever); and 5) consumption of IBBs (current).

Results

Of the 535 households surveyed, 98% consumed beans in any form and 79% were aware of IBBs. Among the 321 households that provided bean samples, only 40% of the samples were biofortified (as determined by a breeding specialist) and only 21% of respondents were able to correctly identify IBBs. Although 52% of households reported to be ever consuming biofortified beans, only 10% of households were currently consuming these beans.

Conclusions

Despite relatively high awareness of IBBs among surveyed households, a few households currently consume IBBs, highlighting the need to explore strategies to promote consumption. More research is also required to investigate factors hindering the consumption of IBBs.

Effect of nutrition awareness on utilization of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato among vulnerable populations in Kenya

Malnutrition continues to affect many vulnerable populations worldwide, with the majority of these residing in developing and underdeveloped countries. This problem has been exacerbated by the changing climate and more recently by the COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent efforts geared towards enhancing sustainable production and value chains of nutritious foods to ensure access to healthier diets are therefore critical. A recent partnership between the World Food Programme and the International Potato Center to enhance utilization of biofortified crops in fragile environments in Kenya is a step in this direction, aimed at improving the diets of households at risk of hunger and malnutrition. This study sets out to provide early evidence on the potential impacts of the interventions spearheaded in this partnership, together with lessons for further scaling efforts. Using household level data, the study adopts an impact evaluation framework to understand the effect of nutrition awareness through the dissemination of information on Vitamin A deficiency, on the utilization of orange fleshed sweetpotato, a biofortified crop rich in Vitamin A. Results show positive and significant effects of nutrition awareness on utilization of the orange-fleshed sweetpotato. Several factors were also identified as key to determining the exposure to nutrition awareness, including proximity to markets and extension agents, gender, and education levels. For widespread and inclusive adoption and utilization of orange-fleshed sweetpotato, out-scaling efforts need to consider these determinants in designing interventions aimed at raising nutrition awareness, as a key entry point to enhancing utilization of orange-fleshed sweetpotato.

Review of knowledge to guide product development and breeding for sweetpotato frying quality in West Africa

This review provides background about sweetpotato in West Africa to identify the current importance and future potential of sweetpotato fried products in the region. We drew on global literature to consider current best practices and health aspects in addition to information from West Africa where frying in the form of large wedges or 'chunk fries' is predominant over other forms (i.e. chips (often referred to as crisps in England and the Commonwealth) and 'French fries'). Chunk fries are produced mostly by female-run microenterprises selling them as a filling snack to roadside and market customers. Boiling, drying and reconstituting in various foods, pounding and consumption of leaves as a vegetable are also important in the region. Further research will inform the development of a product profile for chunk fried sweetpotato and inform breeding strategies to improve sweetpotato for frying and other uses.

Effect of varietal attributes on the adoption of an orange-fleshed sweetpotato variety in Upper East and Northern Ghana

Despite sustained economic growth and reduction in some of forms of malnutrition, Ghana still faces a national prevalence rate of 20.8% vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among for children 6-59 months old. Orange-fleshed sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) (OFSP) can significantly improve vitamin A intake and contribute toward reducing VAD, especially in Northern Ghana where VAD is 31% among young children. Several poverty and nutrition projects in Ghana have promoted the use of OFSP for its health benefits. This study assesses the effect of three varietial attributes on adoption of the first released OFSP variety in Northern Ghana namely, Apomuden. The study concluded that sweetness, taste and dry matter have joint significant effects on adoption of an OFSP variety. The positive and negative traits highlighted will inform the on-going breeding effort.

Predictors of Intention to Integrate Biofortified Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato in Child Feeding: A Field Information Experiment in Rural Kenya

The study assesses the psychosocial predictors of intention to integrate biofortified pro-vitamin A orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) in proper complementary feeding (PCF) among women who received either verbal or verbal and visual demonstrations on OFSP-based foods. A total of 764 randomly selected women grouped into four categories, namely pregnant women, women with infants, women with young children, and potential mothers, participated in this study. Using a structural equation model of predicted intentions based on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) the study found goal-setting, perceived behavior control, subjective norms, and attitudes had a significant influence on intention to integrate OFSP in PCF. Unexpectedly, knowledge of the various health benefits of OFSP did not positively influence intention. Probabilistic recursive regression was then used to estimate the relationship between the intention to provide PCF practices and its potential antecedents. The results then showed that the model structure and explanatory power was information-specific and also revealing outcome differences by category of women. These results have implications on how interventions targeting the improvement of PCF should be organized and delivered. They underscore the need to segment the audience during nutrition education.