To be sustainable, orange-fleshed sweetpotato must attract the interest of rural agro-enterprises so that inputs, markets and other necessary supplies and services become available. VITAA partner organizations are involved in commercializing the new varieties towards this end. In 2002, VITAA's initiative led to the release of a highly nutritious porridge by the Maganjo Millers, a local food processor. The new high-protein, high-betacarotene product, known as NutriPorridge, is made from a combination of orange-fleshed sweetpotato, maize, and peanuts. It is reportedly outselling all of its competitors on the Kampala market and is in high demand. Researchers working for the commercial feed companies UGACHICK and NUVITA in Uganda conducted studies to determine the value of orange-fleshed sweetpotato in commercial animal feeds.

The VITAA case is a particularly compelling example of a growing range of 'biofortification' research being conducted across the CGIAR Centers. A new cross-Center Challenge Programme focused on the topic will pool resources and share expertise across crops. This long-term approach will no doubt pay off in many a future emergency situation.