Understanding innovation: The development and scaling of orange-fleshed sweetpotato in major African food systems

Agricultural Systems
Jan Low, Graham Thiele

Abstract

The development and scaling of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) during the past 25 years is a case study of a disruptive innovation to address a pressing need - the high levels of vitamin A deficiency among children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. When the innovation was introduced consumers strongly preferred white or yellow-fleshed sweetpotato, so it was necessary to create a demand to respond to that need. This was at odds with the breeding strategy of responding to consumers' demands. Additional elements of the innovation package include seed systems and nutrition education to create the awareness amongst consumers of the significant health benefits of OFSP. Complementary innovation is required in promotion and advocacy to ensure a supportive institutional environment. Four dimensions-- technical, organizational, leadership, and institutional environment-- are explored across five distinct phases of the innovation process, from the emergence of the innovative idea (1991-1996) through scaling phase in 15 countries under a major institutional innovation (2015-mid-2019), the Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative (SPHI). Systematically gathering evidence of nutritional impact and ability to scale cost-eff...Continue Reading

References

Mar 7, 2002·The Journal of Nutrition·Howarth E Bouis
Sep 11, 2002·The Journal of Nutrition·Vinodini Reddy, UNKNOWN International Vitamin A Consultative Group
Aug 13, 2008·Food and Nutrition Bulletin·Jan W Low, Paul J van Jaarsveld
Jun 15, 2018·BMJ : British Medical Journal·Dariush MozaffarianRicardo Uauy
Jan 1, 2018·American Journal of Agricultural Economics·Alan de BrauwJ V Meenakshi

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Citations

Mar 30, 2021·International Journal of Food Science & Technology·Gregory J Scott
Mar 30, 2021·International Journal of Food Science & Technology·Edward E CareyJan W Low
Mar 30, 2021·International Journal of Food Science & Technology·Julius Juma OkelloSimon Heck

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
chips

Software Mentioned

SPHI
HarvestPlus
SSA
Ag2Nut
SASHA
CAADP
OFSP

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