Mozambique: Improving orange and purple-fleshed sweet potato production in Moamba

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Mozambique: Improving orange and purple-fleshed sweet potato production in Moamba

1:26 CAT | 07 Aug 2024

Image: Notícias

The Mozambique Institute of Agricultural Research (IIAM) is investing in sweet potato cultivation technology transfer, with a view to increasing productivity and contributing to food security in the country.

In this context, last week the institution trained more than 100 farmers from Moamba district, Maputo province, in the cultivation of improved varieties of orange and purple-fleshed sweet potatoes.

According to IIAM researcher Milton Tovele, assigned to the Umbelúzi Agricultural Station, the training aimed at disseminating new technologies and introducing varieties of this crop, which is essential for food security, especially in developing countries.

Farmers learned the correct methods for producing sweet potatoes, from choosing the vines (seeds), soil management, irrigation and harvesting to post-harvesting treatment and transportation, among other subjects.

“After choosing the vines, they should be cut into seedlings with three or more nodes, with an average length of 30 to 40 centimetres,” Tovele explained.

Tovele said that, due to lack of knowledge, producers often planted three vines in the same hole, but this method resulted in competition over soil nutrients, and the correct method was to place each seed in its own hole, 30 centimetres apart.

Regarding irrigation, sweet potatoes require more water at the beginning of the vine growth and the formation of potatoes. However, as harvest time approaches, watering can be tailed, as excess water compromises flavour and increases the increasing the likelihood of post-harvest spoilage.

Tovele said that the tuber did not present many problems with pests and diseases and had a short production cycle compared to other crops such as corn.

“The vines usually germinate in one week. Some varieties take 90 to 120 days to harvest, while those with a long cycle can be harvested from the fifth to seventh day. It is essential to respect this time to maintain the quality of the product,” he stressed.

Source: Notícias