Sweetpotato jams and juices contribute to forest conservation in the Philippines

Once considered a survival food during times of drought or severe rains, sweetpotato cultivation is quickly turning into a lucrative business opportunity for entrepreneurial farmers while promoting forest conservation in the process. In a swath of the Philippines where the forests offer a buffer against the damage posed by severe storms, a staggering poverty rate of 46.9 percent threatens to drive deforestation for farmland. The Integrated Natural Resource and Environmental Management Project (INREMP), led by the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources, thus incorporated the creation of income opportunities into their conservation work.

Continue reading Sweetpotato jams and juices contribute to forest conservation in the Philippines at International Potato Center.