• Roots and tubers like cassava, sweet potato, and yam will be central to Africa's food security in the coming decade.
• Despite their importance, these crops suffer from insufficient support, with production growth driven by area expansion rather than productivity.
• The International Potato Center's new partnership aims to boost producer access to planting material and technology, strengthen R&D, and increase government support.

In Africa, roots and tubers (RTs) will form the core of the food security issue over the next decade. Simon Heck, Director General of the International Potato Center (CIP), stated this on the sidelines of the launch of the Partnership for Roots and Tubers during the African Food Systems Forum (AFSF).

On the African continent, starchy crops like potato, yam, cassava, and sweet potato are already widely consumed by households. In some West and Central African countries, they surpass cereal products in diets.

While observers widely recognize this importance, Heck emphasizes that these sectors still suffer from a lack of support. Production increases in recent years have largely stemmed from area expansion rather than productivity improvements.

"The crops adapt well to climate change and are well-marketed. But when you take, for example, potatoes, yields can reach 40 to 50 tons per hectare internationally, while in Africa they remain below 20 tons. For cassava, yields are lower, but great progress is possible," he confided to Ecofin Agency.

In this context, Mr. Heck indicates that the CIP-promoted initiative aims to improve producers' access to plant material (seeds, cuttings) and processing and storage technology. It also seeks to strengthen research and development and create a platform for policy dialogue with governments to stimulate private investment.

"If we provide better technical support to producers and if governments support with policies and investments, these crops will be able to express their full potential. For Africa's future food security, roots and tubers will become central. The continent's food future plays out a few feet underground," he concluded.

The CIP states that the Partnership for Roots and Tubers in Africa targets approximately 50 million producers.

This article was initially published in French by Espoir Olodo

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum