1. Transforming Key Production Systems: Maize Mixed East and Southern Africa
For the Sub-project:
Africa RISING going to scale in the Eastern Province of Zambia—Theme 2 (Orange- Fleshed Sweetpotato)
Annual Review and planning meeting, August 2016, Lusaka, Zambia

2. OFSP-going to scale with the integration of agriculture nutrition-marketing approaches for addressing Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) using orange-fleshed sweetpotato to build capacity among partners to contribute towards an overall goal of improving diet diversity, increasing vitamin A intakes, and reducing food insecurity in EP
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is prevalent in Zambia especially in children under 5.
Sweetpotato varieties traditionally grown and consumed in Zambia are white fleshed and lack beta carotene
Zambian Government released 5 OFSP varieties that need to be disseminated to farmers for contribution to food and nutrition security and incomes

3. Among other prevailing conditions
Climate change –
 maize is a staple food
Declining soil fertility

4. OFSP Facts New findings by Jones and Brauw, 2015
OFSP is extremely rich in bioavailable beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A (retinol) at a ratio of 12 to 1
Just one small root ( grams) of most OFSP varieties supplies the RDA of vitamin A in under fives
Contributes significantly to C, E, K and several B vitamins.
New findings by Jones and Brauw, 2015
42% reduction in the likelihood that children
under the age of five who ate OFSP within the
past week would experience diarrhea. For
children under three years of age who ate
OFSP, the likelihood of having diarrhea was
reduced by more than half (52 percent)

5. Outline of project activities: to enhance adoption, consumption and marketing of OFSP
Technology development:
New varieties and associated production practices:
Released varieties- Olympia, Chunfwa, Chiwoko, Kokota and Zambezi
Seed system, variety/vine dissemination and demonstration of good production practices:
For increased productivity
Nutritional knowledge transfer:
For enhancement of improved dietary practices on OFSP-based nutrition
Commercialising vine and root production
For sustaining vine production within communities and source of income

6. Approach: Working partners
GIZ
CARE in Katete
CRS in Petauke
Nutritional committees of Katete and Petauke
Profit +
Mary’s Meals

7. Seed system
Vine production in Sand-ponic at Msekera for pre-basic seed multiplication of disease-free material
88,700 vine cuttings distributed to vine multipliers

8. Decentralized vine multipliers (DVMs)
Objective: To increase access to varieties and quality ‘seed’
Specific activities included
-214 old and new farmers participated in vine multiplication (Nov 2015-Aug 2016)
-Some of these farmers were trained by CIP, Profit+ and SAIOMA in vine multiplication and marketing
DVMs are in 7 camps in Lundazi; 6 in Katete, 4 Chipata and 5 camps in Petauke
DVMs produced 8795 vine bundles
Reliable source of water – heavily selection of material

9. Vine dissemination
8795 hh received a bundle of vine cuttings, 26.65ha of OFSP
Through CIP in Clinics (8 clinics in Chipata, 7 Lundazi and 9 in Katete)
Decentralized multipliers by sale of in exchange of labour or pass on
5729 trained on nutrition knowledge and awareness creation
9926 under five children reached

10. Variety development
Participatory variety evaluation and preference tastes
25 PVS across districts were planted
Candidate variety (NC MUSG), (ZAMBEZI/2), (15/2) and, (EXCEL 8) elite genotypes identified

11. Table 1: OFSP Mean Root Germplasm - Ranked Order Mean Yield t/ha)
 COMPARISON
(MUSG /27)
25.89 A
(MUSG /32)
24.33 AB
(OLYMPIA CHECK)
22.56
ABC
(MUSG /15)
22.5
(NC MUSG)
21.78
(MUSG /11)
20.72
ABCD
(EXEL 8)
18.94
BCD
(MANSA RED)
17.17
CDE
(ZAMBEZI/2)
17.11
(CHUMFWA CHECK)
16.11
(15/2)
14.28 DE
(L6 KANYASI)
11.11 E
(NC MUSG)
10.61
LSD
6.77
Grand Mean
18.70
Coefficient of Variation
21.49%

12. Table 2: Quality Characteristics
Plot
Genotype
% DM
Fiber
Sugars
Starch
Taste 11
NC MUSG
39.5
No Fibers
Moderate Av 9
L6-KANYASI
38.85
Sugary 1
ZAMBEZI/2
38.35
V. Sugary
V Starchy Ex 4
CHUMFWA
37.75
V Sugary 3
MUSG /32
34.85 10
MANSA RED
33.9
little
Good 6
MUSG /27
32.85
Few Fibers 8
15/2
32.3 7
MUSG /11
32.2 2
OLYMPIA
31.85 13
NC MUSG
30.9 12
EXCEL 8
26.8 5
MUSG /15
20.05
Bland
No Starch

13. Technology for validation
Intercropping maize with OFSP
Storage Trials
In ground storage experiment to prolong consumption and marketing period
Labour saving
Weevil control

14. Maize sweetpotato intercrop

15. Sweetpotato in ground storage

16. Nutritional knowledge dissemination
30 demo plots in Lundazi, Chipata, Katete and Petauke- ZARI in partnership with District and camp officers
17 school demos, of which 8 were Mary’s Meals in Chipata
Through school demos, a total of 3610 pupils (1874 boys, 1736 girls) were reached with nutritional messages of OFSP from 8 Mary’s Meals schools
OFSP on the agenda for Home Grown Food Stuffs for schools
19 radio programs on Radio Breeze

17. Nutritional knowledge dissemination …
Farmers may use high yielding and disease free vines, but the spacing will always betray them

18. Vine marketing promotion

19. Vine and root marketing promotion
Also worked with students *

20. Linking of farmers to markets
SAIOMA trained 53 farmers on vine marketing
Clustered these into 21 clusters
Farmers happy when they see cracks
7 OFSP growers in Katete and Lundazi linked up for marketing
DVMs and an agro dealer in Chilingondi in Katete.

21. Field Visits

22. Summary of activities and targets
2.1a Support for production of breeder/foundation seeds (vines)
1000
887
2.1b Recruit and train vine multipliers and partners
220
214
2.1c Support the multiplication of vines by vine multipliers
12500
8795
2.1d OFSP vine dissemination to beneficiaries
8000
2.1e Identify and support agro dealers to become linking points between multipliers and buyers of vines 11 21
2.2a Demonstration of varieties and associated production practices 36 30
2.2b Conduct studies on good agronomic practices 3
2.3 Nutritional messages-radio breeze
24000
2.4 Support new variety release
2.5a Linking OFSP growers markets 9 7
2.5b Build capacity of agro dealer networks for vine ditribution channels 90 53

23. Challenges
Delayed start of project activities that also delayed partners start date
Delayed rainfall- drying wells and vines
Short and erratic rainy season- affected vine distribution
Unfaithful partners
Need for concerted efforts in technology dissemination- training and strengthen partnerships
Need for concerted efforts in marketing of roots and vines

24. Plans for next season
Start now for decentralized vine production- training, strengthening the linking and clustering of agro-dealers Intensify nutritional awareness strategies- demand creation for both roots ad vines Strengthening partners on ground through meetings

25. Thank you