Why is the sweet potato a major food in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands?

The sweet potato became a major staple in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea because it allowed for the intensification of agricultural production and the support of dense human settlements at higher altitudes, where earlier crops like taro were less effective.12

Although the sweet potato is an American domesticate that only arrived in the region approximately 300 to 400 years ago, its introduction transformed the Highlands. It enabled residents to move beyond earlier, lower-intensity cultivation systems and facilitated the conversion of montane forest hunting territories into productive grasslands. This shift in agricultural capacity further accelerated the local reliance on pig husbandry and supported the region's transition into the most densely populated part of the island.123