ICAR-CTCRI Unveils New Biofortified Sweet Potato Variety to Enhance Tribal Nutritional Security.

Environment

In March 2025, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), developed a new orange-fleshed sweet potato variety named SP-95/4 to support food security initiatives in tribal regions of India.


      - The new sweet potato variety SP-95/4 contains a high beta-carotene content of 8 mg per 100 grams, which helps effectively combat Vitamin A deficiency, especially common in tribal populations. Its average tuber weight is 300 grams, and its fusiform shape makes it suitable for food processing purposes.

      - SP-95/4 has shown strong adaptability across multiple states. It has been successfully tested in Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Kerala, demonstrating its suitability for cultivation in diverse ecological conditions.

     

Main Point :-   (i) The ‘Rainbow Diet’ programme, initiated in 2023 in Attappady, focuses on combating malnutrition through biofortified crops and was expanded under the ‘Punarjeevanam’ programme in 2024.

      (ii) The variety is currently cultivated across 10–15 acres, with expansion plans to reach 100 acres by December 2025.

(iii) A processing unit, funded through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) support, is being proposed to improve farmer incomes and ensure commercial viability of the crop.

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