The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a very important crop for subsistence farmers in Africa and other developing countries.[1][2] Due to its relatively short growing period, tolerance to drought and high yield from poor soils, it is used as a famine reserve for many of these households.[1][2] However it is a highly perishable food source that is susceptible to destruction by microorganisms, metabolic spoilage, physical destruction and pests.[3] As such they are not generally stored for extended periods of time following harvest.[4] This is a major barrier for the optimal use of the crop and causes a lot of waste.[3]
The majority of subsistence farmers who eat sweet potato do not utilize a storage technique of any kind, instead using a method of continuous cultivation and leaving the tubers in the ground until they are ready to be used.[5][6] While less common, simple methods of storage do exist. The common ones include pit, clamp, and indoor storage and all extend the storage time of sweet potatoes by some degree.[3][7] Maintaining proper storage temperature is probably the most significant barrier to good storage in subsistence farmers.[3]
Pretreatment of sweet potato can help to minimize risk of losses.[3] Curing can toughen the skin and heal minor physical damages while drying can reduce spoilage and inactivate metabolic degradation.[3]
Optimum storage of sweet potatoes occurs at 12–16 °C (54–61 °F), 85–90% relative humidity (RH) and requires proper ventilation to remove excess carbon dioxide (CO2) and bring in oxygen (O2) for respiration.[3] At these conditions sweet potatoes have been shown to last 5 months to a maximum of a year compared to 2–3 months normally.[3]