Root, Tuber and Banana Food System Innovations Value Creation for Inclusive Outcomes

This open access book describes recent innovations in food systems based on root, tuber and banana crops in developing countries. These innovations respond to many of the challenges facing these vital crops, linked to their vegetative seed and bulky and perishable produce. The innovations create value, food, jobs and new sources of income while improving the wellbeing and quality of life of their users. Women are often key players in the production, processing and marketing of roots, tubers and bananas, so successful innovation needs to consider gender. These crops and their value chains have long been neglected by research and development, hence this book contributes to filling in the gap. 

Chapter 1 - Overview

Graham Thiele, Michael Friedmann, Vivian Polar and Hugo Campos

Chapter 2 - Innovation models to deliver value at scale: the RTB Program 

Helen Hambly, Michael Friedmann, Claudio Proietti, Vivian Polar, Sarah Fernandes, Graham Thiele

Chapter 3 - Scaling Readiness: learnings from applying a novel approach to support scaling of food system innovations

Marc Schut, Cees Leeuwis, Murat Sartas, Luis Alejandro Taborda Andrade, Jacob van Etten, Anna Muller, Thierry Tran, Arnaud Chapuis and Graham Thiele

Chapter 4 - Cost-effective cassava processing: Case study of small-scale flash dryer reengineering

Thierry Tran, Adebayo Abass, Luis Alejandro Taborda Andrade, Arnaud Chapuis, Marcelo Precoppe, Laurent Adinsi, Alexandre Bouniol, Makuachukwu Ojide, Suraju Adeyemi Adegbite, Simon Singi Lukombo, Murat Sartas, Béla Teeken, Apollin Fotso Kuate, Robert Ndjouenkeu, Martín Moreno, John Belalcázar, Luis Augusto Becerra López-Lavalle, Dominique Dufour

Chapter 5 - Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato Puree, a Breakthrough Product for the Bakery Sector in Africa 

Mukani Moyo, Van-Den Truong, Josip Simunovic, Jean Pankuku, George Ooko Abong, Francis Kweku Amagloh, Richard Fuchs, Antonio Magnaghi, Srinivasulu Rajendran, Fredrick Grant and Tawanda Muzhingi

Chapter 6 - Turning waste to wealth: Harnessing the potential of cassava peels for nutritious animal feed

Iheanacho Okike, Seerp Wigboldus, Anandan Samireddipalle, Diego Naziri, Akin O. K. Adesehinwa, Victor Attah Adejoh, Tunde Amole, Sunil Bordoloi, Peter Kulakow

Chapter 7 - Transferring cassava processing technology from Brazil to Africa

Alfredo Augusto Cunha Alves, Luciana Alves de Oliveira, and Joselito da Silva Motta

Chapter 8 - Improving Safety of Cassava Products

Linley Chiwona-Karltun, Leon Brimer, Jose Jackson

Chapter 9 - Innovative digital technologies to monitor and control pest and disease threats in root, tuber, and banana (RTB) cropping systems: Progress and prospects 

Jan Kreuze, Julius Adewopo, Michael Selvaraj, Leroy Mwanzia, Lava Kumar, Wilmer J.  Cuellar, James P. Legg, David Hughes, Guy Blomme 

Chapter 10 - Scaling banana bacterial wilt management through single diseased stem removal in the Great Lakes Region

Enoch Kikulwe, Marsy Asindu, Walter Ocimati, William Tinzaara, Francois Iradukunda, Susan Ajambo, Guy Blomme

Chapter 11 - Toolbox for Working with Root, Tuber and Banana Seed Systems

Jorge L. Andrade-Piedra, Karen A. Garrett, Erik Delaquis, Conny J.M. Almekinders, Margaret A. McEwan, Fleur B.M. Kilwinger, Sarah Mayanja, Lucy Mulugo, Israel Navarrete, Aman Bonaventure Omondi, Srinivasulu Rajendran, P. Lava Kumar

Chapter 12. Securing sweetpotato planting material for farmers in dryland Africa: Gender-responsive communication approaches to scale Triple S

Margaret A. McEwan, T.A. van Mourik, M.C. Hundayehu, F. Asfaw, S. Namanda, I. Suleman, Sarah Mayanja, S. Imoro, P.M. Etwire 

Chapter 13 - Revolutionizing early generation seed potato in East Africa

Elmar Schulte-Geldermann, Rogers Kakuhenzire, Kalpana Sharma, Monica Parker

Chapter 14: Transforming Yam Seed Systems in West Africa

Norbert Maroya, Morufat Balogun, Beatrice Aighewi, Djana B. Mignouna, P. Lava Kumar, and Robert Asiedu 

Chapter 15 - Commercially sustainable cassava seed systems in Africa

James P. Legg, E Diebiru-Ojo, D. Eagle., M. Friedmann, E. Kanju, R. Kapinga, P.L. Kumar, S. Lateef, S. Magige, K. Mtunda, G. Thiele, J. Yabeja and H. Nitturkar

Chapter 16 - Building demand-led and gender-responsive breeding programs

Vivian Polar, Béla Teeken, Janet Mwende, Pricilla Marimo, Hale A Tufan, Jacqueline A Ashby, Steve Cole, Sarah Mayanja, Julius J Okello, Peter Kulakow, Graham Thiele

Chapter 17 - Scaling Readiness of Biofortified Root, Tuber, and Banana Crops for Africa 

Jan Low, Anna-Marie Ball, Paul Ilona, Beatrice Ekesa, Simon Heck, Wolfgang Pfeiffer

Graham Thiele is director of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas, led by the International Potato Center (CIP), bringing together multiple partners to improve food security and reduce rural poverty through research for development. He holds an MSc in Agricultural Economics from the University of London and a PhD in Anthropology from Cambridge. He began his career at the UK’s Department for International Development (now the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) in 1984 working on market studies, farming systems, and research-extension liaison. He joined CIP in 1994, developing, and disseminating approaches for promoting innovation in value chains through public-private partnerships and contributing to participatory varietal selection and seed system development. In 2005, he became the leader of CIP’s Social Sciences Division, working on targeting, priority setting, and adoption studies of new agricultural technology and participatory methods. He has mentored and backstopped projects in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, the Philippines, and Indonesia. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles, two books, numerous book chapters and magazine pieces.

Michael Friedmann joined the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas in 2015, where he is the Senior Science Officer. He provides strategic scientific support to the program, linking research across disciplines from genomics and breeding to seed systems and post-harvest processing of root, tuber and banana products. He holds a PhD in Horticulture from Washington State University, and post-doctoral work in cancer research and immunology at the National Institutes of Health of the USA. He has over 30 years of experience in project management, science research and plant breeding, both in academia and private industry. Has published in numerous disciplines, from tomato breeding to human immunology with over 35 peer-reviewed articles. 

Hugo Campos PhD (John Innes Centre, UK), MBA (Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile), with over 20 years of professional experience in large corporations and in international development. He serves as Director of Research at the International Potato Center. Hands-on experience in the USA, Africa, Asia and Latin-America informs his extensive publication record, including four previous books: Principles of Plant Breeding 2nd Edition, cowritten with Jack Brown and Peter Caligari (Wiley-Blackwell), Genetic Improvement of Tropical Crops, coedited with Peter Caligari (Springer), The Potato Crop, coedited with Oscar Ortiz (Springer), and The Innovation Revolution in Agriculture - A Roadmap to Value Creation (Springer).

Vivian Polar is the Gender and Innovation Senior Specialist in the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas, which she joined in 2017.  She provides strategic support to the program, advancing research on gender and social inclusion across technical topics.  She holds an MSc in Sustainable Rural Development from Tomás Frías University in Bolivia and a PhD in Social Sciences from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.  She began her career working on plant breeding, seed systems and farmer participation, linking the private sector and national research institutions with farmer organizations. She has over 20 years of field experience working with farmers and indigenous peoples in developing countries on empowerment for agricultural innovation, adaptation to climate change and food security

Jeffery W Bentley is an agricultural anthropologist (Ph.D., University of Arizona). He has studied the changing farming practices of smallholders in Portugal. He worked for seven years at the Pan-American Agricultural University (El Zamorano) in Honduras, where he collaborated with scientists and family farmers on alternative pest control, and wrote a dictionary of campesino Spanish. He co-developed the plant clinic approach (with Eric Boa) at CABI and has consulted widely in Latin America, Africa and South Asia. His work with Agro-Insight includes writing scripts for farmer learning videos, and documenting how people respond creatively to watching the programs. At RTB, Bentley has studied cassava seed systems in Nigeria and has co-edited and written various publications on seed systems and innovations, including the last four annual stakeholder reports