Post-production operations include all steps and actors from production to consumption. Therefore, a systems approach should be adopted when analysing constraints and introducing improvements. A methodology to analyse post-production systems has been developed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, with the support of the Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement (CIRAD) and the Group for Assistance on Systems relating to Grain After-harvest (GASGA). Experience with this systems approach in the field of roots and tubers (R&T) has shown a great potential for improving the processing and marketing of this crop and thus generating extra income, especially for women in Africa. Therefore this system approach is being promoted through this leaflet. R&T commodities are important staple foods and cash crops for the rural population of sub-Saharan countries of Africa. This development guide is a practice-oriented extension leaflet showing how rural families can make best use of R&T . It is part of a series, which intends to help conserve and add value to R&T. Each issue is based on practical experience acquired in the post-harvest research and development work conducted by many partners, especially in West Africa. Partners include the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), national research institutes and universities and projects supported by the GTZ in countries such as Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Togo.