EPAR TECHNICAL REPORT #211
Fri, 12/14/2012
AUTHORS: Daniel Jones, C. Leigh Anderson, Mary Kay Gugerty
ABSTRACT:
This report provides a general overview of the sweet potato value chain in Tanzania. The first section describes trends in sweet potato production and consumption since 1990. The second section describes the uses and importance of sweet potatoes in Tanzania. The final section outlines current practices and constraints in production, post-production, and marketing. Tanzania ranks fifth in the world in quantity of sweet potatoes produced. Production and consumption of sweet potatoes have been relatively constant over the past 10 years, although both production and consumption in this period have been high in comparison to earlier decades. We find that sweet potato yields increased in the early 2000s, but have stagnated since, and are far short of potential yields. Sweet potato consumption is almost entirely domestic and plays an important role in nutrition and food security for smallholder farmers. Sweet potato production faces a variety of constraints, including pests and disease, short shelf life, lack of planting materials, damage during handling, and lack of market access.
This report is part of a broader series of reports on crop value chains. Follow the links below to explore the other reports in this series:
- Crop Value Chains: Wheat Global Analysis (EPAR Technical Report #199)
- Crop Value Chains: Wheat in Bihar, India (EPAR Technical Report #202)
- Crop Value Chains: Wheat in Bangladesh (EPAR Technical Report #203)
- Crop Value Chains: Wheat in Ethiopia (EPAR Technical Report #204)
- Crop Value Chains: Yams in Ghana (EPAR Technical Report #206)
- Crop Value Chains: Yams in Nigeria (EPAR Technical Report #207)
- Crop Value Chains: Sweet Potatoes in Uganda (EPAR Research Brief #217)
- Crop Value Chains: Sweet Potatoes in Ethiopia (EPAR Research Brief #219)
- Crop Value Chains: Sweet Potatoes in Nigeria (EPAR Technical Report #220)
- Crop Value Chains: Cassava Global Analysis (EPAR Technical Report #223)
- Crop Value Chains: Bananas and Plantains in West Africa (EPAR Technical Report #239)
TYPE OF RESEARCH: Literature Review
RESEARCH TOPIC CATEGORY: Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Livelihoods; Agricultural Inputs & Farm Management; Market & Value Chain Analysis
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: East Africa Region and Selected Countries
DATASET(S): FAOSTAT
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