Combating vitamin A deficiency through the use of sweetpotato: Results from phase 1 of an action research project in South Nyanza, Kenya.

Inglés. Increasing recognition of the negative health effects of vitamin A deficiency has led to increased efforts to develop sustainable solutions to the vitamin A-deficiency problem. This report presents initial findings from the first phase of a two-year project to combat vitamin A deficiency through the introduction and use of ß-carotene-rich (orange-and yellow-fleshed) sweetpotato varieties in Nyanza Province in western Kenya. Secondary sources and primary data collection (dietary assessment, market, socio-economic, and agronomic instruments) were used to determine whether enough vitamin A deficiency existed to justify intervening and if the use of ß-carotene-rich sweetpotato varieties was appropriate. The two sites selected already produce white-fleshed sweetpotato year-round. Results indicate that introduced orange-fleshed sweetpotato would be the cheapest year-round source of dietary vitamin A. Moreover, frequent feeding of young children with orange-fleshed sweetpotato could ensure that the recommended daily allowances of vitamin A are achieved. An intervention strategy combining the introduction of ß-carotene-rich sweetpotato, nutrition education, and promotion of sweetpotato-based processed products for domestic and commercial use was implemented in twenty women’s groups. Additional sweetpotato varieties were examined in researcher-managed advanced yield trials. Eleven of the 15 sweetpotato clones tested are suitable for addressing vitamin A deficiency in well-rainfed areas of East Africa. All eleven have sufficient ß-carotene content to be considered good sources of pro-vitamin A, are acceptable to consumers, and demonstrate adequate yields. Results from the Phase I research were used to design the intervention strategy for Phase II.

Español; castellano. Un mayor reconocimiento de los efectos negativos sobre la salud de la carencia de vitamina A, ha conducido a mayores esfuerzos para desarrollar soluciones sostenibles a este problema. Este informe presenta resultados iniciales de la primera fase de un proyecto de dos anos de lucha contra la carencia de vitamina A a traves de la introduccion y uso de variedades de camote ricas en ß-caroteno (pulpa anaranjada y amarilla) en la provincia de Nyanza en Kenya occidental. Se usaron fuentes secundarias y recopilacion de datos primarios (instrumentos de evaluacion alimentaria, del mercado, socioeconomicos y agronomicos) para determinar si el nivel de carencia de vitamina A justificaba la implementacion y si el uso de variedades de camote ricas en ß-caroteno era apropiado. Los dos sitios seleccionados ya producen camote de pulpa blanca todo el ano. Los resultados indican que la introduccion del camote de pulpa anaranjada proveeria la fuente alimenticia mas barata de vitamina A. Ademas, la alimentacion frecuente de los ninos pequenos con camote anaranjado podria asegurar que se logren las cantidades diarias recomendadas de la vitamina A. Se ejecuto una estrategia de implementacion que combina la introduccion del camote rico en ß-caroteno, educacion nutricional y promocion de los productos procesado basados en camote para uso domestico y comercial en veinte grupos de mujeres. Variedades adicionales de camote se examinaron en los ensayos avanzados de rendimiento administrados por investigadores. Once de los 15 clones de camote probados son apropiados para abordar la carencia de vitamina A en las areas de secano de Africa Oriental. Los once tienen suficiente contenido de ß-caroteno para ser considerados buenas fuentes de pro-vitamina A, son aceptables a los consumidores y demuestran rendimientos adecuados. Los resultados de fase I de la investigacion se usaron para disenar la estrategia de intervencion para la fase II.