AFYA PRODUCTS

Traditionally, the Maasai diet consist of raw meat, raw milk, honey and raw blood from cattle and this what the people eat without any fruits or vegetables at all. The Maasai have not consumed anything that is non-livestock product which makes them lack the supply of Vitamins C, A, iron and energy since this can never be fully met by a purely milk diet.

Orange-fleshed sweet potato is a special type of biofortified sweet potato that contains high levels of beta carotene. Beta carotene is an organic, red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. Beta carotene is what gives OFSP an orange color and is converted to Vitamin A in the body after consumption. OFSP is a new variety of potato rich in Vitamin A, a critical vitamin that is deficient in most diets in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sweet potatoes are fairly easy to grow but the Maasai people have not realized the need to grow these sweet potato crop. Sweet potatoes are adaptable to different agro-ecological zones ranging from 0 - 2100m above the sea level. They require rainfall of 750 - 1000mm per annum, and temperatures of above 24 degrees in abundant sunshine. They also require well drained free soil to allow root development Sweet potatoes have a growing period of 3 - 6months depending on variety.

It is used in many different ways as food, animal food and industrial products. The sweet potatoes have high yield, low labour requirement, low cost and low risk. it is highly nutritious since it provides Vitamin A, Iron, fibre and potassium. It also fights childhood diseases. If the potatoes are grown, poverty will be eradicated since they will be selling them and as well income will be generated. In all this we advise the Maasai people to grow the potatoes since their health will get better.