Biodiversity in sweet potatoes

Year level: Upper primary Learning outcome Students will demonstrate understanding of the importance of biodiversity based on a sweet potato project in Papua New Guinea. Read the case study Sweet taste of sweet success; Sweet potato diversity in Papua New Guinea. Find Madang on a map of Papua New Guinea. Find out about the climate in the Madang region. Describe some of the varieties of sweet potato (you might gather some photos from the internet or investigate some varieties that are available at your local stores). Explain why sweet potatoes are such an important crop for people living in rural areas of tropical countries such as Papua New Guinea. Describe how the sweet potato project contributed to the food security and economy of the region. Outline why biodiversity was important to the farmers in the project. Investigate the variety in your diet by listing the food you eat during a week. Next to each item list the amount of calories it provides. Which foods make up the greatest percentage of calories in your diet? Compare the food items which provide you with largest number of calories to that of the sweet potato in the Papua New Guinean diet. Suggest some reasons for the differences. Assessment task Debate: Biodiversity is more important to rural farmers who grow most of their own food than for city people who can shop for their food.