On the trail of the OSP! (Orange flesh sweet potato) In late 2010 potato breeders within a large international project released news of OSP varieties for east Africa. Consumption of these high beta-carotene tubers can help alleviate vitamin A deficiency. In these countries white fleshed sweet potatoes are common, but do not have the benefits of vitamin A for fighting diseases and good eye sight. Fast on the heels of this news, Susan MacKinnon and Shaad Olingo received cuttings of varieties and introduced them to Ruuju and Muchui womens groups in Kenya. Women agreed to first multiply the vines and then to distribute vines to women farmers and local schools so they could grow tubers. Today we saw the fruit of their labour at KK Ndege Primary School. Together with Mwenda, the Muchui horticulturist, a small portion of the schools crop was harvested. The UPEI nutrition student interns oversaw the harvest and dashed to the kitchen to wash and chop the tubers. The cook was a willing participant and OSP were added to the githeri right then and there! KK students found the githeri ‘sweet’ and our feeling was pretty sweet as well. Colleen Walton, May 2012