Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) is a vital crop for overcoming food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa and its production is highest in East Africa where yields are high and the growing seasons are short. This cross-country study assessed farmers' local practices and their knowledge of the biotic constraints to sweetpotato production in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania with the aim of providing empirical data that can ultimately be used to enhance sweetpotato production in these four countries. We collected data from 675 households using a standardized questionnaire integrated with a web-based mobile app. Survey results provided strong evidence that sweetpotato is valued as an important subsistence crop among smallholder farmers on pieces of land of less than 0.4 ha, and we observed that females were more involved than males in sweetpotato production. Sweetpotato was ranked as the second most important staple crop after cassava. Farmers noted an increase in sweetpotato production over the past five years in Uganda and Kenya but a decrease in Rwanda and Tanzania; the proportion of farmers who reported a decrease (33%) and an increase (36%) did not significantly differ. The main constraints to production were reported to be pests (32.6%), drought (21.6%), diseases (11.9%) and lack of disease-free planting materials (6.8%). Farmers recognized the signs and symptoms associated with sweetpotato diseases on leaves, root tubers, and whole plants, but most were unable to assign the disease type (bacterial, fungal or viral) correctly. We suggest that regional governments improve education, increase the provision of clean planting materials and strengthen breeding programs to improve disease resistance.

中文翻译：

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农民的做法及其对东非甘薯生产的生物限制的了解

甘薯（Ipomoea batatas）是克服撒哈拉以南非洲粮食不安全问题的重要作物，其产量在东非最高，那里产量高，生长季节短。这项跨国研究评估了乌干达、卢旺达、肯尼亚和坦桑尼亚农民的当地做法以及他们对甘薯生产的生物制约因素的了解，目的是提供最终可用于提高这四个国家甘薯生产的经验数据。我们使用与基于网络的移动应用程序集成的标准化问卷收集了 675 个家庭的数据。调查结果提供了强有力的证据，表明甘薯被认为是面积小于 0.4 公顷的小农户的重要生计作物，我们观察到女性比男性更多地参与甘薯生产。甘薯被列为仅次于木薯的第二大主食作物。农民注意到过去五年中乌干达和肯尼亚的甘薯产量有所增加，但卢旺达和坦桑尼亚的产量有所下降；报告减少（33%）和增加（36%）的农民比例没有显着差异。据报道，生产的主要制约因素是病虫害 (32.6%)、干旱 (21.6%)、疾病 (11.9%) 和缺乏无病种植材料 (6.8%)。农民在叶子、块茎和整株植物上认识到与甘薯病害相关的体征和症状，但大多数人无法正​​确确定病害类型（细菌、真菌或病毒）。我们建议地方政府改善教育，