Sweetpotato was introduced into Papua New Guinea (PNG) from eastern Indonesia about 300 years ago and now dominates agricultural production in the PNG highlands. The environments in which it is grown in the highlands are briefly reviewed. The main components of the agricultural systems in which it is grown are noted, including type of fallow vegetation cleared for cultivation, fallow period, cropping period before fallow, intercropping, seasonality, soil fertility maintenance techniques, mounding and drainage. The importance of the crop in highlanders' diets and agricultural systems is briefly reviewed, as is the crop's role as pig fodder and the quantity sold in fresh food markets. Some possible future trends for sweetpotato in the highlands conclude the paper.
