BACKGROUND
Malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency is a major nutritional problem in Kenya, especially among infants below five years. Vitamin A deficiency reduces disease resistance, impairs growth, increases mortality and can lead to blindness. The orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) is known to be a cheap source of β-carotene important for the control of vitamin A deficiency. Despite its importance, the utilization of OFSP in Kenya is still limited. The DONATA project was initiated with the aim of disseminating orange-fleshed sweetpotato technologies to the communities in Kenya.
GOAL:
The Goal of the project is improved livelihoods and increased economic growth of resource poor farmers in Kenya
PURPOSE:
Enhanced uptake and adoption of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) technologies in Kenya
OBJECTIVES
• To make available OFSP technologies to uptake pathways in Kenya.
• To generate and promote best bet approaches for scaling up of technologies.
• To strengthen capacities for disseminating and scaling up OFSP technologies along the sweetpotato product value chain.
• To avail information on OFSP technologies & uptake approaches to intermediate & end users in Kenya.
OUTPUTS
• Technologies made available to uptake pathways
• Best bet approaches for scaling up of technologies generated and promoted
• Capacities for disseminating and scaling up OFSP technologies in the production-to-
consumption continuum strengthened
• Information on OFSP technologies & uptake approaches made available to intermediate & end users in Kenya
MANDATE
The project is being implemented in the larger Bungoma and Busia districts in Western Kenya
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The project is being implemented using the innovation platform for technology adoption (IPTA) approach. IPTA is a multi-stakeholder platform of partners which accesses information and knowledge from research to generate goods and services and disseminate them to the beneficiaries. The IPTAs are made up of different players along the OFSP product value chain. These include farmers, seed multipliers, market traders, extension agent/TOT (govt./NGO/farmer), processor, media, CBO/FBO. Two IPTAs (Bungoma IPTA and Busia IPTA) were formed to implement activities in the two districts. The Bungoma IPTA is made up of two NGOs, CREADIS and MAHUDE. Other partners are the DAO of Bungoma South District, a processor and a sweetpotato trader. The Busia IPTA is made up of NGOs, REFSO, ARDAP, WRCCS, and FCI, farmer representative and a processor.Each IPTA develops its own institutional arrangements to support this up-scaling process.
