Sweet Potatoes and Food Security Ipomoea batatas Luci

Sweet Potatoes and Food Security Ipomoea batatas Luci Coleman ####### ESS 221 Dr. Rich Knight

Table of Contents • • • Introduction Research Objectives Methods Sweet Potatoes in South Africa Interpretations

Introduction to Sweet Potatoes • Native to Central and South America • Simple and Complex Carbohydrates – Rich in – Dietary Fiber, Beta Carotene (a precursor to Vitamin A), and Vitamin C • World’s 7 th most important food crop (FAO) • China supplies 80% of the world’s supply • South Africa grows ~50, 000 Tonnes Annually

Sweet Potatoes: An Effective Crop • • Yield Rate: 13 Tonnes/Hectare Short Maturation Period – 2 -5 Months Drought Tolerant Sequential Harvesting

Objectives • Where are sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) currently found? • How will the sweet potato distribution shift under changing climates? • What factors influence these distributions most? Provinces of South Africa (MOS)

Methods

Current Global Distributions of Sweet Potatoes Current potential distribution of sweet potatoes. 100 (red) indicates the crop is 100% likely to thrive in that locality. • Tropical Belt Distribution

Future Global Distributions of Sweet Potatoes Future potential distribution of sweet potatoes. 100 (red) indicates the crop is 100% likely to thrive in that locality. • Decreasing Favorability

Sweet Potatoes and South Africa • Steady Yields • Increasing Values

South African Markets Production v. Consumption rates of sweet potatoes in South Africa (NDA) Export destinations of sweet potato in 2010 from SA (NDA) • Export Potential • Imports – China and Ghana Sweet potato imports by South Africa (NDA)

Current Distribution of Sweet Potatoes: South Africa Current potential distribution of sweet potatoes across South Africa. Redder values indicate more suitable localities.

Current Distribution of Sweet Potatoes: South Africa Future potential distribution of sweet potatoes across South Africa. Redder values indicate more suitable localities.

What does this mean for South Africa? • Potential – – Increased production capacity of sweet potatoes • Limitations – – Agricultural land availability – Competition with game reserves • Opportunities – Increase exports, reduce imports • China and the UK – Health implications – Vitamin A 64% deficiency • Threats – Invasive potential

References NDA http: //www. nda. agric. za/doa. Dev/side. Menu/Marketing/Annual%20 Publications/Commodity%20 Profiles/field%20 cro ps/SWEET%20 POTATO%20 MARKET%20 VALUE%20 CHAIN%20 PROFILE%202015. pdf MOS – http: //www. mapsopensource. com/south-africa