Researcher urges farmers to grow orange potatoes for better health, wealth

As curtains close on the 30th Source of the Nile National Agriculture and Farmers’ Show on August 4, farmers have been encouraged to turn to growing orange flesh sweet potatoes instead of the usual ones to boost their health and wealth.

The annual show, which started on July 26 at Jinja Showgrounds in Jinja City, was organised by the Uganda National Farmers’ Federation (UNFFE), which said this year’s edition attracted 450 local and international exhibitors, up from 360 who were registered last year.

One of the exhibitors, Ms Winfred Akech, who is a researcher with International Potatoes Centre, a global Non-Governmental Organisation, said scientifically, this innovative type of potatoes is rich in Vitamin ‘A’ and on high demand in markets since every part of it is consumed.

“The potato roots are dried to make flour for making porridge, cakes, chapati and mandazi, which, when consumed, help in boosting immunity. Juice and fresh vegetables are also made from the orange sweet potatoes,” she said on August 3.

She added: “By using orange sweet potato flour to make bread and chapatis, farmers earn much more money because they reduce the quantity of wheat being used which is expensive compared to ordinary flour on the market. We are encouraging farmers to plant this new potato variety to benefit from all the products it produces and boost their immunity.”

Ms Akech further explained that the orange fresh potato vines are dried and processed into silage for consumption by animals for up to ten years.

“In a packet of wheat flour, one needs to get half of it and mix the same quantity of orange potato flour in it to make a very delicious chapati which is less-costly and less-hazardous to human life; therefore, by adopting the growth of this type of potato, a person will be bettering their health and maximizing profits.”

The chairperson of Wakiso District-based Bavubuka Twekembe Youth Group, who deals in production of silage from the orange fresh potato wastes, Mr Vincent Lutwama, said his life has changed economically.

“I was empowered by the International Potato Centre to start processing silage which I sell to farmers for feeding cattle. My group was given machines in 2017, which we put to use and make silage out of potato waste and give us a lot of money,” Mr Lutwama said.

From such a venture, Mr Lutwama says he has been able to buy a piece of land and pay school fees for his children since we received the machines.

Ms Caroline Komujuni, a worker at Namugongo Millers, said she does value addition on orange fresh potatoes, but her work is hampered by limited supply.

“I specialised in grinding dried orange potato flour to make cakes, bread, mandazi, juice, chapatti, but find hardships in getting raw materials, yet the demand is high,” she said.