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TThe valuable qualities of sweet potato, from high levels of vitamin A to harvest, can be further enhanced through breeding to produce more drought resistant varieties that compensate for harsher climatic conditions.
This can have profound benefits for household food and nutrition security at a time when about 100 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are at risk of blindness due to vitamin A deficiency.
Not only is sweet potato a consistent and resilient food source in harsher climates, but it is also nutritious and offers incredible health value in an otherwise challenging environment.
Barely 125 grams of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes provide the daily amount of vitamin A needed to prevent illness, blindness and stunted growth, while its edible leaves are a rich source of lutein, essential for preventing degeneration of sight.
Finally, harnessing the versatility of sweet potatoes to meet consumer demand for a range of products, from breads and cakes to crisps and biscuits, can also generate additional revenue for millions of smallholders and create jobs for young entrepreneurs.
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