Studies highlight the varietal impact on women’s labor in root and tuber crop processing

Two recent studies address the effect of different varieties on how laborious it is to process roots and tuber crops into the various important food products in Sub-Saharan Africa. The studies were carried out as part of the complementary Nextgen and RTB foods projects that continued in the RTB breeding investment project.

Despite the vital role of women in agriculture and post-harvest activities, there has been minimal focus on the influence of varietal differences on processing and the labor and drudgery involved. The studies emphasize the potential of breeding to avoid a negative impact on women's processing burden. The studies show major varietal differences in the processing labor needed across RTB crops.

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