Potato is a starchy, tuberous crop which is cooked and eaten as a vegetable. It occurs worldwide, from the Americas to Uruguay, Asia, Peru and Africa. Potatoes are the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research report that the annual global potato production is 133 million tons.
Of the total production, 125 million tons come from Asia, which is the world’s largest sweet potato-producing region. According to the International Potato Centre (IPC), 7 million tons is produced in Africa annually, mostly for human consumption. African yields are quite low—about a third of Asian yields—indicating huge potential for future growth. 

In East Africa, potato is the main food crop in many rural areas. It forms 50% of rural household incomes in the region.The most common varieties grown in East Africa are: white, red, purple and the yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are consumed by boiling, baking, frying or roasting the unprocessed tubers.
Sweet potatoes are adaptable to different agro ecological zones.  Pesticides and fertilizers are rarely used in their production.  They thrive at temperatures above 24°C in abundant sunshine and moderate soil PH. This makes them adaptable to the sub-Saharan weather climate. They have a growing period of 3-6 months depending on the variety.