This document summarizes an on-farm demonstration of orange-fleshed sweet potato varieties with women farmers in northern and northeastern Côte d'Ivoire. Six varieties were demonstrated in farms across four regions. Data was collected on yields, virus incidence, dry matter content and sensory preferences. The variety Kakamega7 Irene performed best overall with good yields, taste and attractive color. It was the most preferred variety by farmers. The demonstration helped raise awareness of nutritional benefits and introduce adapted varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potato to address malnutrition in the target regions.

1. Dibi K.E.B, Essis B.S., Nzué B., Kouakou A.M., Assouan A.B. and Tom V.M.
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FIRST RELEASE OF ORANGE FLESH SWEET
POTATO THROUGH ON-FARM
DEMONSTRATION WITH WOMEN IN THE
NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF CÔTE D’IVOIRE
10th Triennial African Potato Association Conference, 9th to 13th October 2016
UNECA, Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

2. Côte d’Ivoire
• West African country with humide tropical
climate
• Limted by Mali and Burkina Faso (North),
Ghana (East), Liberia and Guinea (West)
and the sea (South)
• Area : 322 462 km2
• Population: 23 million of habitants
• Agricultural country concentrated in cash
crops (Cocoa, Cofea, Rubber, Palm oil,
cashew, …
• Main food crops : Yam, Cassava, Plantain,
rice, maize
CONTEXT
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3. Nutritional status
• Food insécurity : 12,6% des household (10,1% en MFI et
2,5% en SFI)
• Malnutrition : 1/3 of children under 5 affected by
chronic malnutrition (CM), 5% Severe malnutrition
In the north: CM = 40% et SM = 7%
• SM: Nord: > 5% (precarious); Nord-est : > 10% (serious) /
National : 7,1%
• CM: > 30% (serious) in North and Northeast, close to
the critical threshold of 40% / National : 28%
CONTEXT
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4. CONTEXT
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CHANGE project-HKI (Creating Homestead Agriculture
for Nutrition and Gender Equity) aims to Improve the
nutritional status of infants, young children and their
mothers through greater access to the plant and
animal foods rich in nutrients
• OFSP was thus identified as a nutrient-rich culture
and whose consomation can bridge the vitamin A
needs of children and mothers

5. CONTEXT
5
Sweet potato in Côte d’Ivoire
• Sweet potato is cultivated in all the regions of Côte d'Ivoire
for consumption and also as a source of income.
• Only varieties with white or yellow flesh are grown.
• Production of nutritious orange flesh sweet potato (OFSP) is
hampered by the lack of genetic resources and planting
material
• Introduction of 18 OFSP from Burkina (INERA), Kenya and
Uganga (CIP/KEPHYS), from January 2012
• Evaluation of 27 genotypes (17 OFSP + 9 landraces) in station

6. CONTEXT
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6 genotypes has been identified for on farm demonstration
(Yied, Supcetibility to virus, DMC, Cooking habitities)

7. Sensory test in station
7
CONTEXT

8. Global objective:
To contribute towards enhancing household food
security and alleviating malnutrition
Specific objectives
• To select and release adapted OFSP for targeted
regions
• To enhance farmers’ access to OFSP varieties;
• To create farmer awareness on the benefits of new
• released OFSP;
• To trainfarmers good cultural practices
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
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9. Genotypes main caracteristics (recorded in station):
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
9
Variétés Yield(t/ha) DMC RV Flesh Color
TIB-440060 22,22 28 Medium
Medium
Orange
Tacha-2 Ininda 14,51 25 Medium
Medium
Orange
Kakamega 7 Irène 21,67 27 High
Orange with
Yellow
Spk004|6|6 Kabode 25,11 23 High Deep Orange
SDKOD 4|6 Vita 18,11 27 High
Medium
Orange
UWII906-79 Bela Bela 19,33 31 High
Yellow with
Orange

10. Locations :
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
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11. Locations :
OFSP varieties has been introduiced in 42 villages
with women's farmer groups (North and NorthEast)
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
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Régions Women’s farmer
Group
Number
of women
KORHOGO 12 748
BOUNDIALI 10 694
BONDOUKOU 10 690
NASSIAN 10 637
TOTAL = 42 2 769
Agronomics datas were collected only in 8 fieds (2 fieds per region)

12.  Production of planting material for women’s fields
o More than 400 000 cuttings of the 6 OFSP identified have
been produiced in net tunnels to supply the 42 women
farmers group
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ON FARM DEMONSTRATION

13. Discussions with women’s farmers group
• To make women aware on the benefits of OFSP;
• To explain them they way demonstration tests will be
conduct
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ON FARM DEMONSTRATION

14. 14
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Women with OFSP vines

15. 15
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Fields for data collection
• The 6 varieties Kabode, Kakamega7 Irene, Ininda,
Bela Bela, Vita and TIB-440060 was evaluated in
comparison to a locally grown varieties.
• The on-farm demonstration was laid out in a
randomised complete block design (RCBD) with 5
treatments replicated three times per location.
• Assessments were made on yields, diseases, pests
and consumer preference on attractiveness of the
color of the skin and the flesh of the root (fresh
and boiled), taste, texture and Starchiness.

16. 16
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Fields for data collection
• Fields has been set up on mounds in 2 régions ( Bondoukou
and Nassian) and on ridges in the 2 other régions (Korhogo
et Boundiali) accordind to cultural habit of populations.

17.  Tests de démonstration en milieu paysan
17
Plantation des variétés de PDCO par les groupements de femmes
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION

18. 18
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Women in demonstration farm at maturity

19. 19
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Incidence of virus
• The incidence of virus was generaly very low for OFSP
unless for Ininda and TIB-440060
Variétés Bondoukou Nassian Korhogo Boundiali Moyenne
Kakamega 1% 0% 0% 2% 1%
Bela Bela 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Kabode 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Tacha2-
Ininda
12% 9% 27% 23%
18%
Locale* 30% 17% 15% 10% -
TIB-440060 13% 9% 10% 10% 11%
Vita 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

20. 20
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Women harvesting demonstration farm at maturity

21. 21
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Women harvesting demonstration farm at maturity
Datas were collected of yield parameters

22. 22
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Yields
The results showed that OFSP have generally record higher
yields than local varieties. Yields of about 25 t / ha have
been recorded on the sites.
TIB-440060 and Kakamega7 recorded the best average
yield of about 15t / ha. Kabode and Vita showed difficulties
of produicing roots
Variétés Nassian Bondoukou Korhogo Boundiali Moyenne
Kakamega7
Irene
10 16,8 19,3 14,6 15,2
Locale 7,3 5,1 24,7 2,8 -
Tacha 12,2 7 8,5 9,2
Bela bela 5,4 3,3 8,3 7,1 6,0
Kabode 1,6 9,6 4,9 1,2 4,3
TIB - 25 8,6 7 13,3

23. 23
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Yields
Exhibition of roots by women
in joy

24. 24
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION
Sensory evaluation were carried out
Boiled roots were placed in bowls and passed
round for each woman to pick and taste.
Voting was done by women raising
Their hands

25. 25
Choice of varieties
• Acceptance of OFSP varieties by women was over 90%.
• At the end of the on farm demonstration, variety
Kakamega7 Irene, which achieved the best compromise
between all observed and measured parameters, was most
appreciated and was the first choice of farmers.
• It was followed by varieties TIB-440060 and Bela bela.
ON FARM DEMONSTRATION

26. 26
DISCUSSION
Comparison of Station and on farm Data
Variétés
Yield S
(t/ha)
Yield D
(t/ha)
DMC RV Flesh Color
TIB-440060 22,22 13,3 28 Medium Medium Orange
Tacha-2 Ininda 14,51 9,2 25 Medium Medium Orange
Kakamega 7 Irène 21,67 15,2 27 High Orange with Yellow
Spk004|6|6 Kabode 25,11 4,3 23 High Deep Orange
SPK004|6 Vita 18,11 - 27 High Medium Orange
UWII906-79 Bela Bela 19,33 6 31 High
Yellow with
Orange
• Bela bela with low yield and high DMC
• TIB, good yield and DMC
• Kakamega7 Irene, good yield, good taste and very attractive color
• Tacha, medium yield, susceptible to virus, taste not appreciated

27. 27
DISCUSSION
• Bela bela with low yield and high DMC
• TIB, good yield and DMC
• Kakamega7 Irene, good yield, good taste and very attractive color
• Tacha, medium yield, susceptible to virus, taste not appreciated
Women in this study preferred varieties with:
- High yield
- High DMC
- Good taste
- Attractive

28. 28
Cooking and eating pounded Potato

29. PERSPECTIVES
oContinue the evaluation and selection of OFSP
adapted for many regions of Côte d’Ivoire
oClean up efficient varieties of OFSP selected for
quality seed production
oEstablish an efficient seed system for the best
dispersion of OFSP varieties released
oBuild the capacity of farmers leaders and
extention service agents
oCreate a multi-stakeholder innovation platform by
target region for OFSP promotion
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30. THANKS YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION