Hubert Zandstra and Gregory J. Scott
Director General and Senior EcoSTRONG>
Director General and Senior Economist
Introduction
Potato, sweetpotato, and minor Andean roots and tubers together constitute a significant share of the total volume and value of horticultural crops world-wide. These commodities are particularly important as a source of food, employment, and income in developing countries where the bulk of the world's producers, processors, and consumers reside. As we enter the new millennium, roots and tubers will play an increasingly important role in meeting the food requirements, feed uses, and income needs of the world's food system.
In this paper, we briefly describe recent global trends in production
and utilization for roots and tubers, and then present CIP's collaborative
research program. The central themes of this paper are the growing
importance of these commodities in the world's food system, and
the integrated nature of CIP's research efforts that are intended
to help producers and consumers exploit their full potential.
After separate reviews of trends, projects, and research activities
for potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers, the paper
summarizes principal findings and draws attention to what we perceive
to be the shifting global research agenda for these horticultural
crops in the future.
Potato
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) production worldwide has Potato (Solanum tuberosum) production worldwide has witnessed four major developments over the last three decades:
Figure 1. Location of potato production, 1961-63 to 1994-96. (Source: Scott et al., 1998.)
With the launching of the Global Initiative on Late Blight (GILB) in 1996 (Gregory, 1996), CIP renewed and expanded its efforts to address the threat of a global potato famine from late blight. Work on late blight consists of three principal thrusts. The first is biotechnological and aims to identify disease resistance genes and explore the potential for their insertion into advanced materials having other desirable traits (e.g., earliness, high yield, processing quality). The second uses traditional breeding techniques that involve working with the populations of late blight resistant and tolerant clones that CIP has either developed or has access to with a goal toward incorporating these in its program of crosses. The third thrust involves integrated disease management activities that include GIS (geographic information systems) work to identify late blight-vulnerable production zones, the areas designated as the "sexual frontier" or where mutations in the pathogen population suggest the greatest potential for identifying late blight resistant materials, asdentifying late blight resistant materials, as well as a package of proven effective cultural practices to limit the spread of and damage from late blight in producers' fields.
Collaborative research on late blight involves CIP scientists
at headquarters in Lima and through regional offices in Latin
America (e.g., Ecuador), Africa (Kenya, Uganda), and Asia (China,
India, and Indonesia). CIP scientists' research in turn contributes
to the global consortium that includes activities with national
potato programs in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Kenya,
Uganda, India, and China, to name a few. Advanced research institutes
which CIP works include universities and centers of excellence
in industrialized countries in North America, Asia, and Europe,
together with those in the developing countries.
Other important research includes achievements in biotechnology,
virus detection, seed systems, and in trade and processing.
The molecular search for durable late blight resistance genes
progressed with the identification of several molecular markers
associated with resistance in Solanum phureja that will
be tested for their capacity to predict resistance in new crosses.
In addition, a marker database has been established including
more than 1,000 pathogen isolates. Significant progress is predicted
in 1998 for identifying usable genes. Continued evaluation of
CIP's Population B for late blight resistance has resulted ition B for late blight resistance has resulted in
the identification of resistant clones in several countries, including
China, where the disease is severe and potatoes are increasingly
important. (See CIP, 1997.)
Breakthrough bacterial wilt research in 1997 resulted in dramatically
increased sensitivity in detection methods of the bacteria that
will significantly reduce the time needed for verification of
the pathogen in seed stocks. Potato clones with combined resistance
to bacterial wilt and two potato viruses were also identified
in 1997.
Potato seed systems research in the Philippines, China, and Africa
increased the range and impact of informal seed systems and thus
the impact of new varieties. Technology developed in the Philippines
has been adapted in several countries such as Thailand, Vietnam,
and Samoa. Farmer Field chools increased farmer participation
directly. Broader adaptation of these technologies is anticipated
in 1998.
Research on trade and potato processing has highlighted the tremendous
growth in the volume and value of the potato trade as well as
strong outlook for rapid growth in the future especially in Latin
American and Asia. In the trade area, in particular, successive
collaborations have contributed to this work, first by thesis
students from Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands,
followed by linkages to work by a number of organizations that
are members of the Programa Regionalions that
are members of the Programa Regional Cooperativo de Papa (PRECODEPA)
(Scott, 1996), and collaborative trends analysis and projections
both with FAO and IFPRI.
Factors contributing to these trends include rapid urbanization,
growing participation by women in the formal work force, rising
tourism, rising incomes combined with growth in production, falling
tariff and non-tariff barriers, and declines in containerized
shipping costs (Scott, 1994). One major challenge to developing
country producers in the years ahead will be to better integrate
local supply with agro-industry, both for domestic consumption
and export. Considerable opportunities exist for closer collaboration
with the private sector in these areas (see, e.g., ICA, 1992).
Sweetpotato
Global sweetpotato production fluctuated with the aggregate effect being a decline in area planted, less than offset by an increase in yields (Table 1), whereas output remains heavily concentrated in China (Figure 2). Recent indications from China are that the fall in area planted has stabilized and production has begun to rebound accordingly (Gitomer, 1996).
Trends in sweetpotato area planted and production have been highly uneven in other locations. Indonesia, the philippines, and Brazil, for example, experienced declining output and area planted since the mid-1970s. preliminary indications are that the very recent sharp dpreliminary indications are that the very recent sharp declines in exchange rates in East Asia and the steep rise in the trade deficit in Brazil may slow or even reverse these trends (see, e.g., peters and Wheatley, 1997). On the other hand, sweetpotato production expanded rapidly in recent years in much of Sub-Saharan Africa because the crop has the ability to do well on marginal soils with minimal production (input) costs (Von Braun et al., 1991; Scott and Ewell, 1992).
Increasingly in China, sweetpotato is used for animal feed due to the expanding livestock industry that supports the surge in demand for meat (Rosegrant et al., 1997). In fact, sweetpotato is used in some form for some animals in virtually every country where it is produced (Scott, 1992). Recent projections merely confirm that this utilization pattern for sweetpotatoes will intensify in the decades ahead not only in Asia, but also in those parts of Africa and Latin America where feed grains are in short supply, foreign exchange expenditures limited, demand for meat and dairy products strong, and growers as well as policy makers are in search of alternatives to complement more conventional, large-scale, feedlot livestock production systems (Scott et al., 1998).
In light of these trends and after more than five years of diagnostic work in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, CIP researchers have formulated a new sweetpotato research agenda. This integrated approach includeearch agenda. This integrated approach includes:
Increasing dry matter (DM) content is the primary objective for sweetpotato breeding at CIP. Recent evidence from Southeast Asia and East Africa suggests that progress in this area is being made much more rapidly than previously believed possible. In Indonesia, for example, performance of the four best clones recently accelerated based on CIP's collaborative work with CRIFC. Results show that root yield, dry matter content, and starch content are well above the local average (see Il-Gin Mok, 1997) in these new clones. It is particularly noteworthy that preliminary economic estimates suggest that starch production from these clones would be competitive with other raw material sources in the starch industry in Southeast Asia. Recent results from Kenya also show a number of clones with a combination of high yields, dry matter content, and total dry matter yield (see Carey et al., 1997). Collaboration with Kenya Agricultural Research Institute in Kenya and NAARI in Uganda proceeds apace in light of these highly promising findings.
CIP's other recent research acsing findings.
CIP's other recent research achievements with sweetpotato included:
Studies of national and provincial statistics in China, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, documented the spread of sweetpotato processing primarily for feed and starch (Wheatley et al., 1997). Processing has income- and employment-generating potential for small farmers in the poorer parts of the country. The potential for the expanded use of sweetpotato as a substitute for imported maize in pig feed is a heretofore overlooked way for China to avoid the massive feed imports predicted by some observers.
Regional surveys conducted in Vietnam indicate an upswing in the use of sweetpotato for animal feed and sweetpotato starch for making noodles, with prospects of even more expansion. The surveys and analysis were done by the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, the Postharvest Technology Institute, and the Animal Husbandry Research Institute, with assistance from CIP, Users' Perspective with Agricultural Research and Development (UPWARD), and Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) staff (Prain, 1997).
These macro-studies document the importance of and potential for
sweetpotato processing, lay out a set of collaboratively forged
research priorities and policies, and provide a common framework
for the variouolicies, and provide a common framework
for the various institutions engaged in sweetpotato postharvest
research.
Table 1. Sweetpotato production, area and yield in developing countries.
| Production1 | Area2 | Yield3 | Production | Area | Yield | |||
| Africa4 | 6,824 | 1,458 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 1.6 | -0.3 | ||
| Sub-Saharan5 | 6,680 | 1,452 | 4.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | -0.3 | ||
| Uganda | 1,967 | 494 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.0 | ||
| Rwanda | 950 | 145 | TH=109>950 | 145 | 6.5 | 1.2 | 2.3 | -1.2 |
| Burundi | 648 | 107 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 2.1 | -0.3 | ||
| Kenya | 632 | 64 | 9.8 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 1.0 | ||
| Madagascar | 503 | 89 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | ||
| Congo | 408 | 100 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 2.7 | -1.0 | ||
| Tanzania | 362 | 243 | 1.5 | -3.0 | 1.6 | -4.5 | ||
| Asia6 | 116,195 | 7,235 | 16.1 | -0.9 | -2.3 | 1.4 | ||
| China | 108,482 | 6,159 | 17.6 | -0.8 | -2.3 | 1.6 | ||
| 1.6 | ||||||||
| Indonesia | 2,147 | 225 | 9.5 | -0.3 | -1.8 | 1.5 | ||
| Vietnam | 1,764 | 318 | 5.6 | -0.3 | -0.7 | 0.4 | ||
| India | 1,159 | 140 | 8.3 | -1.8 | -2.9 | 1.1 | ||
| Philippines | 589 | 136 | 4.3 | -3.2 | -3.0 | -0.1 | ||
| Korea DPR | 460 | 33 | 13.8 | 1.4 | 1.5 | -0.1 | ||
| Papua New Guinea | 447 | 105 | 4.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | -0.4 | ||
| Bangladesh | 432 | 45 | 9.6 | -3.4 | -2.7 | -0.7 | ||
| Korea Rep. | 259 | 15 | 17.0 | -9.9 | -8.6 | -1.4 | ||
| Latin- America7 | 1,836 | 244 | 7.5 | -1.5 | -2.0 | 0.5 | ||
| Brazil | 655 | 58 | 11.3 | -2.0 | -3.3 | 1.3 | ||
| Total | 124,855 | 8,937 | 14.0 | -0.8 | -1.8 | 1.0 | ||
1 Thousands of tons.
2 Thousands of hectares.
3 Tons per hectare.
4 Africa not including South Africa
5 Africa less Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and South
Africa.
6 Asia, less Israel and Japan, plus Oceania, except Australia
and New Zealand.
7 South, Central, and North America, except Canada and the USA.
Source: FAOSTAT, updated 3 october 1997.
Figure 2. Location of sweetpotato production, 1961-63 to 1994-96.

Source: Scott et al., 1998.
Detailed evaluations of existing technology focused on starch, flour, and feed in China, Kenya, Peru, and Uganda. Work with Sichuan Agricultural Academy of Science (SAAS) on small-scale starch production in Sichuan Province, China, was the most promising of all. It identified several areas for immediate improvement. Operational analysis in Peru quantified the raw material costs and conversion rates needed to achieve profitability at an existing starch plant (Meerdink, 1995). The necessary higher yields with more extractable starch seem well within reach. Sweetpotato flour appears more problematic in Peru for a variety of reasons (see Espinola et al., 1997). However, in Uganda, and to a lesser extent in Kenya, prospects are brighter for flour. Markets are emerging in the wake of declining supplies of cassava flour. Economic analysis of farm-level use of roots for pig feed in China is extremely encouraging. Modest changes can improve the prospects for even more widespread use. In Peru, dual purpose varieties with balanced production of vines for fodder and roots for human consumption show considerable potential to improve the lot of small-scale dairy farmers (León-Velarde, 1997).
In addition to research results and policy recommendations, a
major effort has been made to improve local research capacity
by preparing postharvee local research capacity
by preparing postharvest methodologies appropriate to conditions
in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. "Adding Value to Root
and Tuber Crops", the manual on product development, co-published
with the CGIAR centers which specialize in tropical agriculture
in Latin America (CIAT) and in Africa (IITA), provides operational
guidelines and a common framework for sweetpotato postharvest
researchers worldwide (Wheatley et al., 1995). "Prices, Products,
and People", a compendium of methods for analyzing agricultural
marketing in developing countries, prepared with several IARC
social scientists, is intended to serve a similar purpose (Scott,
1996).
Impact
Recent demand for a better documentation of impact in the CGIAR, has led CIP to conduct and sponsor nine impact studies covering research on varieties, seed, and integrated pest management (IPM) in Africa, Asia, and Latin America (Walker and Crissman, 1996). Return on investments in research projects ranged from 25% to more than 100%. In 1993 prices, net profits per hectare (discounting research and implementation costs) varied from $100 to more than $1,300 per hectare. These benefits do not include environmental ones associated with reduced use of pesticides.
The nine studies were by necessity only a partial selection of technological impact of CIP associated research. They probably represent abof CIP associated research. They probably represent about a third of all potential cases, ignoring major successes with bacterial wilt control (Costa Rica, East Africa) and diffused light storage (Central America and other regions), as well as several other activities such as true potato seed, IPM, and varietal change. Despite this, if you take the total investment in CIP since its inception and compare it with its actual and projected impact of only these nine technologies studied, the annual return in 1994 dollars will be approximately $230 million, or more than ten times CIP's annual budget (CIP, 1995).
Clearly, these achievements cannot be attributed solely to CIP
staff. As in all CIP's activities, the work is conducted by a
wide range of institutions in client locations and backed by contract
research in industrialized countries. In that sense, the results
confirm the wisdom of CIP's creators to develop a Center that
conducts its work in a highly decentralized and participatory
fashion.
Andean Roots and Tubers
CIP's work to conserve, characterize and utilize minor Andean root and tuber crops such as oca, ulluco, mashua, arracacha, and achira became formally part of the Center's mandate in 1992 (CIP, 1992). Many, if not all, of these roots and tubers are in danger of extinction for a variety of reasons. That fact, plus what is widely believed to be their untapped potential, has led to theelieved to be their untapped potential, has led to the formulation of a collaborative research agenda focusing on, among other things, genetic conservation and characterization, disease management, and postharvest technology and marketing. CIP includes these efforts as a key component of its natural resources initiative aimed at preserving the natural resource base, i.e., plants, animals, soil, and water, in the highlands of South and Central America, East Africa, and South Asia. Recent achievements for CIP's progress in Andean roots and tubers (ARTC) include the following:
Natural Resource management for Mountain Ecologies
In the context of the CGIAR, CIP convenes research for the sustainable management of natural resources in mountain regions. This Global Mountain Program is shared with the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) for the East African Highlands and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in the Himalayan region of Asia (CIP, 1996). CIP's work in the Andes places emphasis on biodiversity, soil and water management, sustainable production systems, and policies for sustainable resource use. The work is conducted by a wide range of institutions in Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. They include universities, national research institutes, and non-governmental organizations. These institutions have formed the Consortium for Sustainable Development in the Andes (CONDESAN), and cooperate in planning and implementing research. CONDESAN conducts its fieldwork in six benchmark sites. Recent research achievements include:
Conclusion and Recommendations
Potatoes and sweetpotatoes are major horticultural crops worldwide. Their importance in developing countries, particularly in Asia, is especially noteworthy. Analysis of trends and prospects for potatoes and sweetpotatoes in developing countries indicates that growth rates in production have accelerated in recent years, particularly for potatoes. The emerging research agenda for these crops reflects these shifts in the location and growth in production. In addition, as has been stressed throughout this paper, CIP's research agenda focuses on a prioritized set of key constraints and opportunities linked to these crops, namely, late blight, bacterial wilt, seed systems, trade and pre blight, bacterial wilt, seed systems, trade and processing for potatoes; improving dry matter, improved integrated pest management, and product development for sweetpotato. Research institutions in industrialized, as well as developing countries, are actively involved in CIP's collaborative efforts to address these challenges.
CIP's research agenda has broadened in recent years to include
work on ARTC and natural resource management for mountain ecologies.
CIP sees these activities as a logical extension of earlier efforts
on potato and to a lesser extent sweetpotato that focuses often
on high altitude environments in the tropics and sub-tropics and
increasingly incorporates a concern for issues of environmental
protection and sustainability of the natural resource base. These
new initiatives involve not only many of CIP's existing collaborators,
but also provide an opportunity for new linkages with institutions
in industrialized and developing countries with a shared interest
in horticultural research as it relates to the challenges of food
production, poverty, and bio-diversity in Asia, Africa, and Latin
America.
References
Arbizu, C., R. Blas, M. Holle, F. Vivanco, and M. Ghislain. 1997. Advances in the morphological characterization of oca, ulluco, mashua, and arrachacha collections. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
Carey, E.E., S.T. Gichukt 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
Carey, E.E., S.T. Gichuki, P.J.Ndolo, G. Turyamureeba, R. Kapinga, N.B. Lutaladio, and J.M. Teri. 1997. Collaborative sweetpotato breeding in eastern, central, and southern Africa. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
CIP (International Potato Center). 1992. Annual Report. Lima, Peru.
CIP (International Potato Center). 1995. Annual Report. Lima, Peru.
CIP (International Potato Center). 1997. Program Report 1995-96. Lima, Peru.
CIP (International Potato Center). 1996. Proposal for a global ecoregional initiative on sustainable mountain agricultural development. Submitted to the Technical Advisory Committee, CGIAR.
CONDESAN (Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion). 1997. Segunda reunion de planificacion estrategica. [First draft of the Second strategic planning meeting]. CONDESAN, c/o CIP, Lima, Peru.
Crissman, C.C., J. M. Antle, and S.M. Capalbo. 1997. Economic, environmental and health tradeoffs in agriculture: Pesticides and the sustainability of Andean potato production. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Boston, USA.
Espinola. N. M. van Hal, C. León-Velarde, J. Roca, L. Díaz, L. Maldonado and G. Scott. 1997. Le crecimiento de la producción de camote mediante la ampliación de su utilización. Informe final sobre el proyecto presentado a la embajada de los Países Bajos proyecto presentado a la embajada de los Países Bajos en el Perú. Postharvest Management Program. CIP, Lima, Peru.
Espinola, P. and C.C. Crissman. Preferences of urban consumers for Andean roots and tubers in Ecuador. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations). 1995. Potatoes in the 1990s. Situation and prospects of the world potato economy. International Potato Center and FAO. Rome, Italy.
Gitomer, C.S. 1996. Potato and Sweetpotato in China: Systems, Constraints, and Potential. International Potato Center (CIP) and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). CIP, Lima, Peru.
Gregory, P. 1995. Global program to develop late blight resistant potato cultivars. CGIAR NEWS 3(3):1. ICA (Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario. 1992. La industria procesadora de papa se vincula a la investigación con el ICA. Revista Papa 5:12.
Il-Gin Mok, 1997. Selection of new sweetpotato varieties for high dry mater content in Indonesia. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
León-Velarde, C., J. Roca, J. Arteaga, L. Quispe, and A. Párraga. 1997. Perspectives on sweetpotato: Dual- purpose varieties. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
Low, J. P. Kinyae, S. Gichuki, M.A. Oyunga, V. Hagenimana, and J. Kabira. 1997. Combating vitamin A deficienagenimana, and J. Kabira. 1997. Combating vitamin A deficiency through the use of sweetpotato. Results from Phase 1 of an action research project in South Nyanza, Kenya. Lima, Peru: International Potato Center. A co-publication of the International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru, and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI).
Meerdink, M. 1995. Small-scale agroindustry in developing countries: The case of sweetpotato starch in Peru. Ir. thesis. Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands.
Peters, D. and C. Wheatley. 1998. Small scale agro-enterprises provide opportunities for income generation: sweetpotato flour in East Java, Indonesia. Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture. (Forthcoming.)
Prain, G., C. Wheatley, and N.D. Duc. 1997. The potential of root crop processing for rural development in Vietnam. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
Rosegrant, M.W., M. Agcaoili-Sombilla, and N.D. Perez. 1995. Global food projections to 2020: Implications for investment. Food, Agriculture, and the Environment Discussion Paper 5, IFPRI, Washington, D.C.
Scott, G.J. 1992. Sweetpotato for animal feed in developing countries: Present patterns and future prospects. In D. Machin and S. Nyvold (eds.). Roots, tubers, plantains and bananas in animal feeding. Proceedings of the FAO expert consultation. Held at CIAT, Cali, Colombia. January 21-25, 1991. FAO, Rome, Italy.
Scotmbia. January 21-25, 1991. FAO, Rome, Italy.
Scott, G.J. 1994. The emerging world market for potatoes and potato products with particular reference to developing countries. Economie Agricole et Agro-Alimentaire 30:19-27.
Scott, G.J. (Ed.) 1995. Prices, products, and people. CIP and Lynn Reinner Publishers, Inc., Boulder, CO, USA.
Scott, G.J. 1996. Informe sobre la industrialización de la papa del programa Regional Cooperativo de papa (PRECODEPA). [Report on the industrialization of potato in PRECODEPA.] CIP, Lima, Peru.
Scott, G.J. and P. Ewell. 1992. Sweetpotato in African food systems. In G. J. Scott, P. I. Ferguson, J.E. Herrera (eds.) Product Development for Root and Tuber Crops, Volume III - Africa. International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and International Potato Center (CIP). Lima, Peru.
Scott, G., R. Basay, and L. Maldonado. 1997. Comercio Exterior de Papa en las Américas: Crecimiento, Potencial y Peligros. Comercio Exterior (México): Dec.:984-996.
Scott, G.J., M. Rosegrant, and C. Ringler. 1998. Global trends and prospects for roots and tubers to 2020. Food, Agriculture, and the Environment Discussion Paper, International Food Policy Research Institute (forthcoming).
Smit, N. and B. Odongo. 1997. Integrated pest management for sweetpotato in East Africa. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
Von Braun et al., 1991.port 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
Von Braun et al., 1991. Commercialization of agriculture under population pressure: Effects on production, consumption, and nutrition in Rwanda. International food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Washington, D.C.
Walker, T.S. 1997. Trip Report: Vietnam and China. October 18-November 2, 1997. CIP, Lima, Peru.
Walker, T.S. and C.C. Crissman. 1996. Case studies of the economic impact of CIP-related technology. Lima, Peru.
Wheatley, C., L. Liping, and S. Bofu. 1997. Enhancing the role of small-scale sweetpotato starch enterprises in Sichuan, China. In International Potato Center Program Report 1995-1996. Lima, Peru.
Wheatley, C., G.J. Scott, R. Best, and S. Wiersema. 1995 Adding
value to root and tuber crops. A product development manual. Centro
Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (Ciat), Cali, Colombia.