- According to National Potato Council of Kenya, potato is the third most important food crop in the world i
- Like other crops farmed in Nyandarua , potato farming has its own challenges that cut across from seed development to post harvest losses.
Image: KNA
The Kenya Kwanza government’s Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda has identified and recognised potatoes as a strategic crop that can contribute to Kenya's economy as well as promote food security.
The Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy prioritised 13 value chains, including potato, with the potential of raising smallholder farmer income and offering dietary diversity.
According to the National Potato Council of Kenya, potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption.
In Kenya, it is second after maize and contributes about Sh50 billion to the economy annually.
Like other crops farmed in Nyandarua, potato farming has its challenges that cut across from seed development to post-harvest losses.
During a recent launch of the Kenya Sustainable Potato Initiative project by NPCK at Ol Kalau in Nyandarua, it emerged that though potato seconds maize, the productivity per unit area has remained low.
That is due to poor agronomic practices coupled with low access and use of poor-quality seeds.
The launch aims to enhance potato production in four potato-producing counties; Nyandarua, Nandi, Laikipia and Meru,
Participants from the four counties highlighted challenges that are commonly facing potato farmers.
It includes the unavailability of certified potato seeds as the main challenge, with only 5% of seed potatoes planted in Nyandarua.
Other counties are certified, while 95% is produced informally.
John Rutere from Meru said certified potato seeds are rare and the few available are not only expensive but inaccessible.
"One has to travel from the county to the Agricultural Development Corporation Molo farm in Nakuru, many farmers opt to recycle the ordinary low-producing seeds," Rutere said.
Denis Kasoo from Laikipia said a lack of relevant information on potato farming is a challenge, attributing it to a lack of extension services at the grassroots to advise farmers on best field practices.
Nyandarua's chief officer of agriculture, Samuel Gitaka, echoed his counterparts.
He said myriads of problems facing potato production have led to low production in Nyandarua.
This has led to the underutilisation of a 500-ton cold storage facility at Oljoroorok.
Image: KNA
According to the National Potato Strategy 2021-2025 from Ministry of Agriculture, potato industry tends to perform below its potential.
This is because production is predominantly rain fed and grown in small pieces of land making it a subsistence crop.
There is poor adoption of production technologies, poor crop management and inadequate supply and use of quality seed.
This leads to current production of an average of 7-10 tons per hectare which can be raised to 30-40 tons per hectare with proper management.
NPCK's Chief Executive Officer, Wachira Kaguongo said NPCK is committed to advancing the interests of the potato industry.
NCPK supports the inspirations of potato farmers, processors, traders and other stakeholders.
Kaguongo mentioned the importance of putting in place necessary institutional, policy and legal frameworks on potato production, capacity building to farmers and financial accessibility,
He talked about fast tracking potato value addition and access to ready market as ways of enhancing potato production not only in Nyandarua but across the country.
The NPCK CEO retaliated that KSPI project focus will be on building a strong and efficient potato seed system that would enhance farmers’ access to high quality seed variety.
“KSPI also aims at improving enabling environment and coordination in potato sub sector for inclusive agriculture transformation,” Kaguongo said.
AGRA Director John Macharia said NPCK is targeting 150, 000 farmers from the four counties.
Their focus is on all aspects of potato production from access to relevant information, seed production, field management, financial and market accessibility.
NCPK IS working closely with International Potato Centre, Non-Government Organisations affiliated to potato production and county and national government.
He said AGRA is partnering with NPCK to fast track the full implementation of potato regulation on 50kg packaging which is yet to be fully implemented.
Macharia said only 5 percent of potato seeds available in Kenya are certified.
Their aim is to improve the percentage to 29 by the end of this year agriculture being the back bone of Kenya’s economy.