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The sweet potato is a very important crop for subsistence farmers in Africa and other developing countries. Its relatively short growing period, tolerance to drought and high yield from poor soils lead to its use as a famine reserve for many of these households. However, it is a highly perishable food source that is susceptible to destruction by microorganisms, metabolic spoilage, physical destruction and pests. Therefore, it is not generally stored for long after harvest. This is a major barrier for the optimal use of the crop and causes much waste.
Most subsistence farmers who eat sweet potato do not use a storage technique of any kind, instead using a method of continuous cultivation and leaving the tubers in the ground until they are ready to be used. While less common, simple methods of storage do exist. The common ones include pit, clamp, and indoor storage and all extend the storage time of sweet potatoes by some degree. Maintaining proper storage temperature is probably the most significant barrier to good storage for subsistence farmers.
Pretreatment of sweet potato can help to minimize risk of losses. Curing can toughen the skin and heal minor physical damage, while drying can reduce spoilage and inactivate metabolic degradation.
Optimum storage of sweet potatoes occurs at 12–16 °C and 85–90% relative humidity and requires proper ventilation to remove excess carbon dioxide and bring in oxygen for respiration. At these conditions sweet potatoes have been shown to last 5 months to a maximum of a year compared to 2–3 months normally.