Potato has multiple benefits and thus can play a vital role in ensuring food security in Ethiopia. However, for diverse reasons, its productivity is low. The farming systems in Ethiopia in which potato is grown, are predominantly mixed farming systems. Most of the research in Ethiopia is focused on crop-specific constraints and thus there is limited research in which the interrelations between crop and livestock management practices are investigated. There is also not enough research focused on combined analysis of soil nutrient and animal feed balances and agronomic and socioeconomic efficiencies at farm level. This study assessed production constraints and agronomic and socioeconomic sustainability of the farming systems in South Ethiopia and explored the possible synergetic options to alleviate major constraints. More specifically, the study intended to quantify the variation in input and output among farms, to identify constraints hindering expansion of potato production, to evaluate the sustainability of the farming systems at farm level, to identify constraints of sustainable intensification, and to explore synergetic solutions for the major constraints. Different research approaches were used ranging from lab analysis, household surveys, group discussions, to farm surveys. Results showed that constraints related to input and product use in potato production vary across households indicating a need for a pluriform advisory model recognizing (and building upon alleviation of) the diversity of constraints identified in this analysis. The sustainability of the farming system is constrained by low agricultural productivity, low soil fertility, poor labour efficiency and limited economic return associated with improper crop rotation, inappropriate soil fertility management practices, shortage of animal feed, labour- and economically inefficient farm practices and labour shortage. However, there is ample scope to overcome the major constraints and simultaneously to optimize farm management. The core messages of the study can be summarized as follows: 1) the current potato production is characterized by low productivity and economic returns due to various socioeconomic, agronomic and biological factors; 2) the soil fertility is low and there is uneven distribution of nutrients over plots with relatively high fertility levels in the homestead areas; 3) the current labour shortage can be attributed to mainly inefficiency of agricultural management practices and labour migration to towns for economic reasons indicating that the farming system is not sustainable in terms of labour; 4) considering the direct return from animal production, most of the farms had very low gross margin with the current management system and this reduced the overall operating profit of farms. The low return from animal rearing was offset by the relatively high profit from crop production indicating the benefit of mixed farming system in sustaining agricultural production; and 5) each farm can have a wide range of optimized solutions mainly through introduction of improved technologies and subsequent redesigning of the farm managements. In general, the findings of the current study indicate that it is worthwhile to assess the sustainability of agricultural production in different farming systems and agro-ecologies of Ethiopia. In addition, the combined effect of introducing improved agricultural technologies and subsequent reconfiguring the farm management is very crucial to increase and sustain agricultural production.

Potato has multiple benefits and thus can play a vital role in ensuring food security in Ethiopia. However, for diverse reasons, its productivity is low. The farming systems in Ethiopia in which potato is grown, are predominantly mixed farming systems. Most of the research in Ethiopia is focused on crop-specific constraints and thus there is limited research in which the interrelations between crop and livestock management practices are investigated. There is also not enough research focused on combined analysis of soil nutrient and animal feed balances and agronomic and socioeconomic efficiencies at farm level. This study assessed production constraints and agronomic and socioeconomic sustainability of the farming systems in South Ethiopia and explored the possible synergetic options to alleviate major constraints. More specifically, the study intended to quantify the variation in input and output among farms, to identify constraints hindering expansion of potato production, to evaluate the sustainability of the farming systems at farm level, to identify constraints of sustainable intensification, and to explore synergetic solutions for the major constraints. Different research approaches were used ranging from lab analysis, household surveys, group discussions, to farm surveys. Results showed that constraints related to input and product use in potato production vary across households indicating a need for a pluriform advisory model recognizing (and building upon alleviation of) the diversity of constraints identified in this analysis. The sustainability of the farming system is constrained by low agricultural productivity, low soil fertility, poor labour efficiency and limited economic return associated with improper crop rotation, inappropriate soil fertility management practices, shortage of animal feed, labour- and economically inefficient farm practices and labour shortage. However, there is ample scope to overcome the major constraints and simultaneously to optimize farm management. The core messages of the study can be summarized as follows: 1) the current potato production is characterized by low productivity and economic returns due to various socioeconomic, agronomic and biological factors; 2) the soil fertility is low and there is uneven distribution of nutrients over plots with relatively high fertility levels in the homestead areas; 3) the current labour shortage can be attributed to mainly inefficiency of agricultural management practices and labour migration to towns for economic reasons indicating that the farming system is not sustainable in terms of labour; 4) considering the direct return from animal production, most of the farms had very low gross margin with the current management system and this reduced the overall operating profit of farms. The low return from animal rearing was offset by the relatively high profit from crop production indicating the benefit of mixed farming system in sustaining agricultural production; and 5) each farm can have a wide range of optimized solutions mainly through introduction of improved technologies and subsequent redesigning of the farm managements. In general, the findings of the current study indicate that it is worthwhile to assess the sustainability of agricultural production in different farming systems and agro-ecologies of Ethiopia. In addition, the combined effect of introducing improved agricultural technologies and subsequent reconfiguring the farm management is very crucial to increase and sustain agricultural production.

Resumen del póster presentado a la EuroFoodChem XIX Conference, celebrada en Budapest (Hungria) del 4 al 6 de octubre de 2017. | The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) confirmed that acrylamide in food potentially increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer in all age groups. Since acrylamide is present in a wide range of foods, the exposure to this process contaminant is a public health concern and a priority for the National Food Safety Authorities. According to EFSA, the main contributor to the total dietary acrylamide exposure is generally the category of 'Potato fried products'. Basically, acrylamide is generated in patato products due to the presence of reducing sugars, asparagine and to the processing conditions applied. Reducing sugars are the main limiting factor in fried potato products, and depend on the patato variety but also on other factors such as agronomic and storage conditions that influence the senescence of the tuber. The potato food industries have made an continous effort to implement different strategies to mitigate acrylamide formation and the levels of acrylamide have decreased over time in potato chips producers, however the situation is controversial for the consumers. There are many stages in the food chain from retailer to consumption that cannot be legally regulated and depend directly on consumer practices in the retail and in the domestic environment. Together with patato composition and frying, food handling practices from the point of purchase would al so contribute to the acrylamide formation in fried potatoes. Indeed, EFSA is awared that one of the major contributors to the dietary exposure to acrylamide is the domestic preparation of foods. Food purchasing decisions of consumers together with the consumer practices in the kitchen can influence the exposure to acrylamide. An observational study for potato frying practices at home and a population survey for dietary babits bave been carried out on consumer practices in three regions of Spain. The acquisition of fresh potatoes at retail by consumers largely depends on the product availability as well as issues of convenience. Secondly, the conditions for storage, sample preparation and finally the culinary technique used are key papameters that will be discussed. A group of volunteers were asked to prepare their own french fries at home and the levels of acrylamide, the culinary technique, the composition of potato tuber and the frying oil was evaluated. It was confinned that depending on the potato tuber selected at the point of purchase, the exposure to acrylamide varied from 7.0 to 153 μtg/person/day. Additional efforts in the food distribution chain are necessary to provide the consumers with potato tubers with the necessary characteristics to help mitigate the formation of acrylamide in the domestic environment. This presentation will discuss different scenarios and present the first results of the Spanish National project SAFEFRYING. | Peer Reviewed

Poor adoption of modern technologies in sub-Saharan Africa is one of the major factors that limit food production and thereby threaten food security of smallholder farmers. This is despite the potential and emerging success stories of new technologies in increasing productivity of smallholder agriculture. Explanations for low uptake of technologies are diverse. Some studies associated it with characteristics of the farmers and their farm; others attributed it to poor access to information about a particular technology, while some others recognize the importance of technology attributes. Farmers’ adoption decision is shaped socially and the farming practices are changing, not only because of the technical changes introduced, but also because of changes in social circumstances among smallholders. All these possible reasons did, however, miss largely important insights on how local complexities influence adoption. The research presented in this thesis analyses the social dynamics of technology-oriented interventions. More specifically, the study assessed the influence of technology introduction strategies, social networks and social differentiation on the adoption, dissemination and effects of potato technologies. As a case, it used interventions introducing improved potato technologies in Chencha, Southern Ethiopia. The field work combined individual and group in-depth interviews, household surveys and field observation for data collection. Results show that the efforts to introduce technologies for improved potato production to progressive farmers with the assumption that farmers will eventually adopt, once they become familiar with the technology is a distant prospect. Some of the production practices - agronomic field and storage practices - failed to spread to poor farmers as expected, while the majority of agronomic practices fitted well with wealthy farmers. This resulted in diverse outcomes and strategies for livelihood improvement at household level. Access to the technologies and the necessary resources and diverse needs for technology were important factors in explaining variation in adoption and effects of technology across wealth categories. Tracing the seed diffusion through farmers’ networks showed that not all households had equal access to improved seed potatoes, mainly because of social barriers formed by differences in wealth, gender and religion, and because the type of personal relationship (relatives, neighbours, friends and acquaintance) between seed providers and seed recipients affected farmer to farmer seed sharing. In addition, the set-up of farmer-group based seed production demands resources and faces contextual challenges, which could be addressed through a long-term approach that engages continually in diagnosis and responding to the emerging social as well as material challenges. Development practitioners, however, took organizing group initiatives as a one-time process of design and start-up activity. Thus, clean seed potato production and dissemination through farmers’ organizations could not be sustainable. In conclusion, the present study has indicated that through providing special attention to the social dynamics researchers can arrive at better understanding of constraints affecting technology adoption. This implies effective interventions for a range of farm contexts involve not only finding technical solutions but also integrated understanding of farmers’ production conditions and existing social dynamics.

Poor adoption of modern technologies in sub-Saharan Africa is one of the major factors that limit food production and thereby threaten food security of smallholder farmers. This is despite the potential and emerging success stories of new technologies in increasing productivity of smallholder agriculture. Explanations for low uptake of technologies are diverse. Some studies associated it with characteristics of the farmers and their farm; others attributed it to poor access to information about a particular technology, while some others recognize the importance of technology attributes. Farmers’ adoption decision is shaped socially and the farming practices are changing, not only because of the technical changes introduced, but also because of changes in social circumstances among smallholders. All these possible reasons did, however, miss largely important insights on how local complexities influence adoption. The research presented in this thesis analyses the social dynamics of technology-oriented interventions. More specifically, the study assessed the influence of technology introduction strategies, social networks and social differentiation on the adoption, dissemination and effects of potato technologies. As a case, it used interventions introducing improved potato technologies in Chencha, Southern Ethiopia. The field work combined individual and group in-depth interviews, household surveys and field observation for data collection. Results show that the efforts to introduce technologies for improved potato production to progressive farmers with the assumption that farmers will eventually adopt, once they become familiar with the technology is a distant prospect. Some of the production practices - agronomic field and storage practices - failed to spread to poor farmers as expected, while the majority of agronomic practices fitted well with wealthy farmers. This resulted in diverse outcomes and strategies for livelihood improvement at household level. Access to the technologies and the necessary resources and diverse needs for technology were important factors in explaining variation in adoption and effects of technology across wealth categories. Tracing the seed diffusion through farmers’ networks showed that not all households had equal access to improved seed potatoes, mainly because of social barriers formed by differences in wealth, gender and religion, and because the type of personal relationship (relatives, neighbours, friends and acquaintance) between seed providers and seed recipients affected farmer to farmer seed sharing. In addition, the set-up of farmer-group based seed production demands resources and faces contextual challenges, which could be addressed through a long-term approach that engages continually in diagnosis and responding to the emerging social as well as material challenges. Development practitioners, however, took organizing group initiatives as a one-time process of design and start-up activity. Thus, clean seed potato production and dissemination through farmers’ organizations could not be sustainable. In conclusion, the present study has indicated that through providing special attention to the social dynamics researchers can arrive at better understanding of constraints affecting technology adoption. This implies effective interventions for a range of farm contexts involve not only finding technical solutions but also integrated understanding of farmers’ production conditions and existing social dynamics.

Sweet potato is an important staple food in Benin, which unfortunately remains neglected by research and underutilized. To document the diversity of the crops for its sustainable conservation and use, an ethnobotanical investigation was conducted in 34 villages selected in Central and Southern Benin using participatory research approach methods and tools. For 24.59 % of the respondents, sweet potato is ranked as the sixth most important crop produced. 19.36 % of the respondents produced sweet potato for feeding purpose only, while 46.77 % of respondents are growing it for purely economic purposes. At total 12 constraints related to the sweet potato production were registered through the study area, among which eight, which represent 66.67 % of the constraints could be solve by the scientific research efforts while the rest (four constraints, 33.33 %) were purely of political order. The difficulty of farming practices (20.39 % of responses) and the sensitivity of the crop to the attack of pests and insects (19.74 % of responses) appeared as the major constraints cited by the respondents. The numbers of sweet potato varieties per village range from 2 (two) to 11 (eleven) with an average of 5 varieties per village. The Shannon diversity index of the South (4.06) is greater than the one of the Centre (4.00) and shows that South region has a relatively highest range of varieties and so suitable for the crops diversity conservation. At 65 % of similarity, the cluster analysis using UPGMA dendrogram classified the 108 sweet potato cultivars identified in eight groups corresponding to 92 morphological units based on 13 agronomic traits and culinary characteristic. Within the varietal group, it denotes some yellow (27.45 %) and orange (3.92 %) flesh variety groups of sweet potato which constitute potential source of vitamin A. The study of the vitamin A (caroten) content of those varieties is to be considered to fully exploit their nutritional potential.