Researchers in Ghana studied how men and women differently grow and eat sweet potatoes. They surveyed 300 people and found that men do most of the planting and weeding, while women handle harvesting and selling. Women also eat sweet potatoes more often than men, especially the orange kind. The study shows that how people prepare sweet potatoes—like making flour or chips—depends on whether they’re male or female. These findings could help communities grow more sweet potatoes and improve nutrition, especially using the orange variety which is very healthy.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: How men and women in Ghana’s Volta region grow sweet potatoes differently and which types they prefer to eat
- Who participated: 300 people from three cities in the Volta region of Ghana, including both men and women who grow or eat sweet potatoes
- Key finding: Women do most of the harvesting (34%) and selling (74%) of sweet potatoes, while men handle planting and weeding. Women eat sweet potatoes more regularly than men, and they prefer the orange variety more than men do.
- What it means for you: If you live in a farming community, understanding these gender differences could help improve how sweet potatoes are grown and sold. For nutrition, knowing that women prefer orange sweet potatoes is important because this variety has more vitamin A, which is good for health. However, this study only looked at one region of Ghana, so results may not apply everywhere.
The Research Details
Researchers used a cross-sectional study design, which means they collected information from people at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. They selected 300 people from three district capitals in Ghana’s Volta region using two methods: purposive sampling (choosing specific types of people they wanted to study) and simple random sampling (randomly picking some participants). They asked these people questions about how they grow sweet potatoes, what varieties they prefer, and how often they eat them.
This approach allowed researchers to take a snapshot of the current situation with sweet potato farming and eating habits. By separating the data by gender, they could see clear differences in how men and women participate in different farming tasks and food choices. The study focused on understanding real-world practices rather than testing a specific treatment or intervention.
This research approach is important because it shows actual farming practices and food choices as they happen in real communities. By looking at gender differences specifically, the study reveals that men and women have different roles in agriculture—something that’s often overlooked in farming programs. Understanding these differences helps create better solutions. For example, if women do most of the selling, programs to improve sweet potato sales should focus on helping women. The study also shows that preferences for different varieties and food forms vary by gender, which matters for nutrition planning.
This study has some strengths: it surveyed 300 people, which is a reasonable number, and it looked at real farming communities. However, readers should know that this was a snapshot study done at one time, so it can’t prove that one thing causes another. The study only looked at three cities in one region of Ghana, so the findings might not apply to other parts of Ghana or other countries. The researchers didn’t mention how they ensured their questions were fair or how they checked their information for accuracy. The study is descriptive, meaning it describes what’s happening rather than testing whether a new farming method actually works better.
What the Results Show
The study found clear gender differences in sweet potato farming tasks. Men dominated land preparation, planting, weeding, and fertilizer application—the heavy physical work done early in the growing season. Women were much more involved in harvesting (34% of harvesters) and especially in marketing or selling (74.3% of sellers). This shows that women handle the final stages of getting sweet potatoes to consumers.
When it came to eating sweet potatoes, women consumed them more frequently than men. About 40% of women household heads ate sweet potatoes regularly, compared to 31.1% of men household heads. Among individuals, 32.2% of women ate them regularly versus 26.6% of men. Women also showed a stronger preference for the orange-fleshed variety compared to men. The reasons people ate sweet potatoes included whether they could afford them, whether they were easy to find, and personal taste preferences.
The form in which people ate sweet potatoes differed by gender. Women preferred sweet potato flour (a powder made from cooked sweet potatoes), while men preferred frozen chips (like french fries). These preferences were connected to people’s education level, whether they were married, and their age. Interestingly, the smell of the sweet potato was a strong factor in whether people wanted to eat it.
The study noted that overall sweet potato cultivation in these districts is declining, which is concerning for food security. The researchers found that consumption patterns were linked to affordability and accessibility—meaning if sweet potatoes are expensive or hard to find, people eat them less. The orange-fleshed variety was identified as particularly important because it contains more nutrients, especially vitamin A, which is essential for health. The study suggests that education level, marital status, and age all influence how people prepare and eat sweet potatoes, indicating that different groups might need different approaches to increase consumption.
While this study doesn’t directly compare to other research, it adds important information about gender roles in agriculture that many previous studies overlooked. The finding that women handle most marketing aligns with research from other African countries showing women’s important role in food distribution. The preference for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes among women is significant because other research has shown this variety has better nutrition. The declining cultivation mentioned in this study reflects concerns raised in other agricultural research about traditional crops losing importance in some regions.
This study has several important limitations. First, it only looked at three cities in one region of Ghana, so the findings may not apply to rural areas or other regions. Second, it was a snapshot in time, so researchers couldn’t determine whether changes in sweet potato farming are getting better or worse over time. Third, the study didn’t explain how they selected the 300 people or whether the sample fairly represented the whole population. Fourth, the study is descriptive—it describes what’s happening but doesn’t test whether specific interventions (like training programs) would actually increase sweet potato consumption. Finally, the researchers didn’t provide detailed information about how they ensured their survey questions were clear and fair to all participants.
The Bottom Line
Based on this research, communities in the Volta region should consider: (1) Creating programs that help women improve their sweet potato marketing and business skills, since women do most of the selling; (2) Promoting the orange-fleshed variety through education programs, especially to women, since it’s more nutritious and women prefer it; (3) Developing sweet potato products that appeal to both men and women, such as flour for women and chips for men; (4) Implementing nutrition education to help people understand the health benefits of sweet potatoes. These recommendations have moderate confidence because the study only looked at one region and was descriptive rather than testing actual interventions.
This research is most relevant to: farming communities in Ghana’s Volta region, agricultural development organizations working in West Africa, nutrition programs focused on food security, and policymakers developing agricultural strategies. Women farmers should particularly pay attention since the study highlights their important role in marketing. Health organizations promoting nutrition should care about the findings on orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. However, people in other countries or regions should be cautious about applying these findings directly, as farming practices and food preferences vary significantly by location.
If communities implement programs based on these findings, changes would likely take time. Increasing sweet potato cultivation could take 1-2 growing seasons to show results. Changing consumption patterns through education might take 3-6 months to see initial increases, with stronger changes over 1-2 years as people become more familiar with sweet potato products. Building women’s marketing skills could show benefits within a few months as they apply new knowledge. Seeing significant improvements in food security would likely require sustained effort over 2-3 years.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Users could track their sweet potato consumption by logging servings eaten per week and noting the form consumed (flour, chips, boiled, etc.). They could also track which variety they ate and rate their satisfaction with taste and smell. For farmers, tracking could include recording planting dates, harvest dates, and quantities produced by gender of worker involved.
- The app could help users increase sweet potato consumption by: (1) Suggesting orange-fleshed sweet potato recipes tailored to their gender preferences (flour-based for women, chip-based for men); (2) Providing affordability tips for buying sweet potatoes; (3) Suggesting local markets or stores where sweet potatoes are available; (4) Offering nutrition education about vitamin A benefits; (5) Setting weekly consumption goals based on current habits.
- Long-term tracking could include monthly reviews of consumption frequency, variety preferences, and preferred food forms. Users could set goals to try new sweet potato products monthly. For farmers, the app could track seasonal planting and harvesting patterns, monitor which family members are involved in each task, and track yield changes over growing seasons. Community-level monitoring could track whether sweet potato cultivation is increasing or decreasing in their area.
This research describes farming and eating patterns in one region of Ghana and should not be considered medical advice. The findings about orange-fleshed sweet potatoes being more nutritious are based on general nutritional science, but individual health needs vary. If you have specific health conditions or dietary concerns, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet. This study was observational and cannot prove that eating more sweet potatoes will cure or prevent any disease. Results from this Ghana-based study may not apply to other regions or countries with different farming systems and food cultures.