Diversifying Description: Sweet Potato Science and International Agricultural Research after the Green Revolution

The organization of sweet potato research across global regions began in earnest in the 1980s. Leading international institutions, notably CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) recognized the potential for science-driven development of a “neglected” crop. Sweet potato was second only to potato in root crop cultivation worldwide and the top tuber in Asia yet had not been subject to the internationally coordinated research that its importance merited. In this paper, I explore how scientists involved in sweet potato research attempted to respond to the call for new international research and development efforts while avoiding the limitations of predecessor programs associated with the Green Revolution. I highlight the challenges inherent in this work by focusing on ambitions for—and challenges to—providing standardized information about samples of varieties used in research and entered into genebank collections. As scientists and institutions grappled with critiques of the top-down model of development, many sought to address these through more inclusive research practices. As I show, accommodating diversity in crops and among cultivators and cultures entailed costs that ultimately limited the longevity and effectiveness of some enterprises that sought to maximize inclusivity.