Research on sweet potatoes in Africa has helped the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources earn $4 million in grants.

The grants include $1.2 million from The Rockefeller Foundation and $2.4 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development/Mozambique and $400,000 from the Mozambique government for technical support.

Agricultural economics Professor David Tschirley, co-principal investigator of the department's projects in Mozambique, said the funding helps make MSU the largest researcher of agriculture economics issues in Africa.

The sweet potato research is aimed at supplying Mozambique with vitamin A-rich dark-fleshed sweet potatoes to improve the health of the nation's children.

"It was just started in September, but it's been a successful effort so far," Tschirley said.

He said researchers will gather evidence on the nutritional effects on children of orange sweet potatoes compared to white varieties.

Mozambique, a nation along the southeastern African coast, has about 17 million people.

"It's one of the poorest countries in the world," Tschirley said. "War ended about 10 years ago, but they are still recovering. There is really a need for training."

International development Assistant Professor Cynthia Donovan said she is excited about the increased funding. She has traveled to multiple African destinations.

"I really enjoy getting to constantly see what we are doing here and thinking about it in different ways, knowing that there is others ways to do things," Donovan said.

She is one of three campus-based faculty members working on the project. There also are three working in Mozambique.

Francie Todd, information officer for the Department of Agriculture Economics, said the department has worked in Mozambique since 1990. The project will contribute to MSU's related projects in Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda and Mali, all parts of Africa.