Helping 3,000 farmers grow improved varieties of sweet potato
ORANGE-FLESHED SWEET POTATO IN MALAWI, AFRICA
Our sweet potato farming project is a simple and sustainable approach to overcome malnutrition, a major health issue for mothers and children in Malawi. We are helping farmers to grow improved varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes – high yielding, rich in Vitamin A, and they taste good too!

Problems
- Malnutrition is a major problem
- The staple diet is nsima with little protein and very few vitamins
- Locally grown white sweet potato contains fewer vitamins
- Farmers cannot afford to purchase the vines needed to plant improved varieties

Solutions
- We support more farmers to grow orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
- Farmers pass on vines to their neighbours at no extra cost
- Pre-school teachers provide a sweet potato meal for every child attending pre-school

FARMERS EXCITED ABOUT RECEIVING THE VINES

MUCH MORE NUTRITIOUS AND LOVELY TO EAT

SURPLUS CAN BE SOLD AT THE MARKET

FARMERS INVOLVED IN THE FIRST GROWING SEASON

VINES DISTRIBUTED TO EACH FARMER

KILOS HARVESTED IN THE FIRST TRIAL SEASON
Sweet Potato Farming in Malawi, Africa
Achievements and Future Plans
We are introducing new varieties of sweet potatoes into Nkhata Bay District. These new varieties are being grown in all our pre-schools and by many farmers in Nkhata Bay District. We hope to secure additional supplies of the improved sweet potato vines and tubers to expand the reach of the programme.
How We Work
Sweet potato vines can be planted in two different ways – to either multiply the sweet potato vines or to produce a higher yield of the crop. The farmers start with 100 tubers each and are encouraged to plant some which will produce additional vines and then, when they harvest, they have enough stems to be able to share some with other local families. This benefits more people and is a truely sustainable way to encourage communities to help each other.
£20 could buy five bundles of
sweet potato vines

Further Information
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Why It Is So Important
What We Have Achieved
How We Work
The Project's Future

PREPARING VINES TO SHARE

TRAINING GIVEN TO FARMERS

HARVESTING THE SWEET POTATOES
This project addresses the following Sustainable Development Goals:


