Everything Under The Sun: Sweet Potatoes To Sustain Young Village Families

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Sweet Potatoes To Sustain Young Village Families

Grace Ombima in her home.

Many people look to potatoes as a food staple, but in other places, rice is more easily grown and thus becomes a staple crop, particularly in areas where rainfall is abundant. That same abundant rainfall is more likely to lead to rotten potatoes and loss of that crop as a staple for the growing season.

But in countries, like Kenya, where farming sustains families and communities, it is important to match the types of crops to the climate and growing season. In the case of sweet potatoes, farmers must pay attention to the types of sweet potatoes that thrive in the various seasonal conditions, and also know which ones are compatible with the rainfall expected in a particular season, especially when you are teaching young people about how to grow the crop in a sustainable, and marketable fashion.

All of this information had to fit into the plans of Grace Ombima, a mother of three children, who lives in Kakamega, Kenya. You see, she was concerned about the young mothers and children growing up in her community, and the life struggles they faced.

Grace said, "I have passion for women because they are the mothers of families. In this community we have wide spread of HIV/AIDS. Women are the most affected with HIV/AIDS and poverty. So this project is targeting young unemployed women with the purpose of increasing food production and household income for these women."

Ms. Ombima's project involves training twenty women to cultivate orange sweet potatoes, the type that grows well in Kenya's climate. Each woman would be able to plant two acres of land, with the potential to harvest about 4400 pounds each week. After planting, it takes about three to six months for them to grow enough to harvest. Recommended crop rotation is with maize, although the latter was not necessarily part of the project.

An advantage of utilizing orange sweet potatoes as a crop is that no fertilizer is needed, and the vines that remain can be used to feed farm animals, making it possible to utilize the entire plant. Not only are sweet potatoes highly marketable, but in a food scarce region, like around Kakamega, they can also be used as a staple crop, keeping the locals nourished on a healthy food source.

Orange sweet potatoes, grown in Kenya.

Generally, sweet potatoes are rather versatile, since they can be used for baking, frying, or roasting. They can also be converted into flour, making a batter for breads and cakes. If too much is grown for the family's own needs, they can even be sold into city markets at wholesale prices.