From Farm to Table: The Journey of Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP)
The High Commissioner for Canada in Ghana recently embarked on a fascinating visit to witness firsthand the innovative use of Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) in Northern Ghana. This trip highlighted how a simple, yet nutritious crop is transforming the way local communities approach food production and consumption.
On March 24, 2025, Her Excellency Myriam M., along with Kathleen Flynn-Dapaah, the Director for Development, visited agro-processors and observed the integration of OFSP puree into baked and fried products at Shekinah Bakery in Tamale. The delegation was impressed by the diverse array of products, from Golden Delight bread to cakes, biscuits, and granola, all enhanced with OFSP puree.
So, what makes OFSP so special? Not only is it rich in Beta-carotene, providing a substantial source of Vitamin A, but it’s also a climate-resilient crop that supports adaptation to environmental changes in Africa. Despite its nutritional benefits, the utilization of OFSP in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains limited. While countries like China extensively process sweetpotato into various food products, in SSA, the crop is mostly consumed boiled or steamed, with less than 10% processed through baking, frying, or roasting.
To address this gap, the GROWING Project—funded by Global Affairs Canada and executed by the International Potato Center (CIP) in partnership with various organizations—has been actively promoting the use of OFSP. The project has introduced a high-yielding, Pro-Vitamin A rich variety known as JanLow, alongside other nutritious crops such as amaranth, moringa, papaya, ground nuts, and soybeans.
During the visit, the bakery team demonstrated the OFSP puree production process, emphasizing how it substitutes 35% to 50% of imported wheat flour in their products. This not only boosts Vitamin A intake among consumers but also fosters local economic growth by creating better market opportunities for small-scale bakers, agro-processors and farmers.
One particularly interesting innovation is the integration of OFSP puree into popular local fried foods like Koose and Bofrot. Street food vendors are now able to fortify Koose by replacing 45% of the cowpea flour with OFSP puree, resulting in enhanced taste, improved nutritional content, and reduced production costs.
To support these small-scale processors, the GROWING Project has distributed 30 manual OFSP puree-making machines, aptly named “Puree-Pro.” These machines are designed to be user-friendly and maintain the dietary fiber content of the OFSP root, enriching the final product with essential micronutrients such as iron and zinc.
Beyond these community-based interventions, the GROWING Project has also partnered with medium-scale food processing enterprises to advance the commercialization of OFSP products. Through a competitive selection process, Shekinah Bakery PLC and B-Diet Limited were chosen to co-invest in the processing of OFSP puree for bakery items.
This visit by the High Commissioner and her team underscored the significant strides being made in Ghana to improve nutritional and financial security through the innovative use of OFSP. It’s a promising example of how international collaboration and local ingenuity can come together to create sustainable solutions for community well-being.
As OFSP continues to make waves in both rural and urban communities, the efforts of the GROWING Project and its partners demonstrate the immense potential of this humble yet powerful crop. The journey from farm to table is not just about food; it’s about transforming lives and fostering resilience in the face of climate challenges.
Acknowledgement
This activity was made possible through support provided by the Global Affairs Canada (GAC). CIP partnered with CARE International, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Ghana Health Services (GHS) for the implementation of the GROWING Project. The opinions expressed in this activity are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of GAC, CARE International, MOFA and GHS.