Building Resilience Through Nutrition: The Role of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato in Ugandan Refugee Communities
With over 1.74 million refugees as of 2024, Uganda ranks as Africa’s largest and the world’s fifth-largest refugee host nation. This influx has stretched resources to their limits, prompting a paradigm shift from dependency on aid to promoting self-reliance. One notable initiative transforming this landscape is the integration of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) into agro-nutrition strategies, spearheaded by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
Tackling Malnutrition with Agro-Nutrition
Vitamin A deficiency remains a critical challenge in refugee and host communities, with a 2023 UNICEF report indicating that only 17.9% of refugees and 32.7% of host community members consume adequate Vitamin A-rich foods. The introduction of OFSP, a biofortified crop rich in Vitamin A, has proven to be a game-changer.
Between 2019 and 2024, CIP and WFP, in collaboration with local and international partners, launched initiatives to distribute clean planting materials, provide agronomic training, and offer nutrition education. The pilot projects in Nakivale and Kyaka II refugee settlements demonstrated the potential of OFSP to address malnutrition while serving as an income-generating crop.
OFSP in Action
During the 2024 pilot season, OFSP was cultivated on 5 acres in Nakivale and 2 acres in Kyaka II. Refugee farmers not only harvested roots for consumption but also produced seed vines, ensuring sustainability for future planting seasons. Beneficiaries received training in:
- Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs): For optimal crop yields and disease management.
- Post-Harvest Processing: Techniques to reduce waste and increase the shelf life of sweet potato products.
- Value Addition: Skills for producing marketable OFSP-based products like flour, chips, and puree.
Farmers were also trained to produce silage for livestock from non-marketable roots and vines, maximizing the utility of the crop.
A Dual Approach to Nutrition and Livelihood
In addition to nutrition, OFSP is reshaping livelihoods. Farmers now view it as an economically viable crop, comparable to traditional staples like banana and maize. A trained farmer reflected, “Growing OFSP has improved my household’s nutrition and provided income through selling vines. I hope these interventions expand to other farmers and host communities for broader impact.”
Complementary initiatives such as health baby toolkits (HBTs) for infants and inter-cropping with high-iron beans enhance the overall impact on health and food security.
Challenges and the Path Forward
Despite its success, the program faces challenges:
- Prolonged dry periods disrupt planting cycles.
- Limited access to quality seeds hampers large-scale adoption.
- Gaps in targeted education and communication require further investment.
However, the program’s collaborative approach, involving stakeholders like Ripple Effect and the Lutheran World Federation, offers a strong foundation for scaling up.
The orange-fleshed sweet potato is more than just a crop; it represents hope for Uganda’s refugee communities. By improving nutrition, providing income, and fostering resilience, OFSP is helping refugees transition from aid dependency to self-reliance. Continued collaboration, investment in seed multiplication, and expansion of agro-nutrition strategies can ensure these benefits reach even more vulnerable populations.
Through the combined efforts of organizations like CIP and WFP, Uganda is pioneering a model of sustainable development that can be replicated globally to address the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition.
