For several years beginning in 2003, I worked as a consultant at the International Potato Center (Centro Internacional de la Papa, or CIP) in Lima, Peru. (Despite the name, CIP’s work focuses on several crops, not just potato.) Following an update of the World Potato Atlas, we thought that more attention should be devoted to sweetpotato, hence this atlas.

Selection of the nine countries chosen as chapter subjects was based on the local importance of sweetpotato, but the role that sweetpotato plays is certainly not the same everywhere. The differences can be political as well as agronomic. T0 quote Anthony Bourdain, “Nothing is more political than food. Nothing.”

Sweetpotato is a significant source of human nutrition where it is cultivated across the more humid areas of Africa, as illustrated by the six African countries included here. The extent of the crop – and its local importance in many areas – is often much greater than is reported by most data sources. For over 25 years, sweetpotato has also been the focus of a program underway in several countries of Africa to develop and promote new varieties high in Vitamin A.

In the Asia and Pacific region, sweetpotato has become more significant as animal feed and in the case of China (by far the world’s largest producer) important for other industrial uses. A similar transition might be underway in Vietnam. In Papua New Guinea, pigs (and the sweetpotato that sustains them) are essential not only as food, but also cultural exchange.

As of 2020, this has become a personal project, since CIP no longer financially supports it. I have made many revisions and updates, but to remain relevant, the atlas needs active collaboration from interested readers, like you. Any new input would be much appreciated and readily acknowledged.

 Please feel free to contact us.

 Kelly Theisen