July 2024 issue

Volume 69, Issue 7

Nearly half of preschool-aged children in Ethiopia are deficient in vitamin A, a deficiency that leads to blindness, stunted growth, and even death. Yet the problem could be solved, scientists say: One baseball-sized amount of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) a day meets the daily vitamin A requirements for a small child, offering a simple yet effective remedy. While addressing vitamin A deficiency seems straightforward, distributing OFSP presents its own set of challenges. See story on page 4. On the cover: Bakers can replace close to half of the wheat flour or teff in bread and injera with OFSP. Photo by Frezer Asfaw.