Reducing On-Farm Food Losses

In the OIC Member Countries

3.2. Case Study 2: Sweetpotato in Nigeria

Sweetpotato

Ipomoea balatas,

is a very important food crop in Nigeria, and it is similar to

malanga, yam, taro, cocoyam, potato, and cassava which are produced in many of the OIC

member countries. Sweetpotato is an excellent source of Vitamin A for the sub-Saharan Africa

where lack of Vitamin A weakens the immune system, leaving an individual more susceptible to

deadly diseases such as measles, malaria, and diarrhea.

3.2.1. Status and Importance

Nigeria is the second largest producer of sweetpotato in the world after China (FAOSTAT 2015)

producing 3,450,000 tonnes in 2013 with a yield of 30,804 hg/ha (FAOSTAT, 2015). It is

generally considered as a minor crop within Nigeria, in terms of total production and

consumption due to the fact that it is usually grown and locally consumed by independent

smallholders on small plots. However, sweetpotatoes are gaining importance in the Nigerian

diet due to the relative ease of cultivation, early maturity (compared to other root and tuber

staples) and enormous industrial and economic potentials (Fawole, 2007).

The Tuber and Root Information System (TRIS), developed by the International Institute of

Tropical Agriculture (IITA), has taken a different approach for sweetpotato, as well as yams and

cassava, by modeling the physical parameters which estimate an ordinal suitability ranking for

each crop across Africa. Rankings are determined by a combination of factors including soil

classes, annual rainfall, temperature regimes and length of growing period (Tewe et. al. 2001).

The TRIS model indicates that most potential sweetpotato cultivation in Nigeria occurs in the

"middle belt" (Tewe et. al. 2001), a broad range of the country occurring from approximately 7-

11° North.

3.2.2. Assessment of On-Farm Losses and Economic Burden

On-farm assessments during field visits at six sweetpotato farms in Ogun State provided the

following data. Losses at the moment of harvest were relatively low.

Table 3.4: On-Farm Assessments at Six Sweetpotato Farms in Ogun State

Farm

Details

Sorted

During

Harvest

Quality Sort by

Consultant

(Extreme Defects

or Decay)

Quality Sort by

Consultant

(Moderate Defects

or Decay)

Sorted for Size (%

Discarded by

Trader at Farm

Gate

0.5 ha

Sweet-

potatoes

15%

35%

35% medium

65% small

0% discards

0.7 ha

Sweet-

potatoes

15%

40%

5% large

20% medium

75% small

0% discards