Potato News from Africa

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)

April 21, 2012

Potato farmers in Kenya oppose the import of seed potatoes

Potato Farmers in Kenya have opposed a decision by the government to import seed from the Netherlands, insisting that the move will kill the little but growing initiative to produce clean planting seed potato and will expose the country to potato disea...

April 12, 2012

Kenya: Low cost potato storage project launched

A project to introduce low-cost potato seed storage system in regions in Kenya where the crop is grown has been launched.

April 11, 2012

Egypt threatens retaliation over Russia's potato import ban

Egypt threatened on Tuesday to take retaliatory measures against Russia if it keeps a ban on Egyptian potato imports.

April 04, 2012

FAO helps Ugandan potato farmers make more money

Potatoes are not widely grown in Uganda but they could earn a farmer big if the right farming methods and good prices are in place. Nathan Baryahisahe, the chairman of the Muko Expanded Irish Potato Producers Association says they now have 161 members...

March 07, 2012

New look for McCain Foods in South Africa

A key element of the McCain rebranding exercise is the new design packaging, which is being introduced into the market.

February 20, 2012

Kenya: Row over government plan to import potato seed from the Netherlands

A major controversy has broken out over government plan to import seed potato favoured for the production of high quality crisps and chips.

February 14, 2012

Kenyan farmers set to reap big from quality potato seed imports from the Netherlands

Kenya will start importing high quality potato seeds following the signing of bilateral agreement with the Netherlands government.

February 02, 2012

Netherlands gives Kenya potatoes for quality chips

Kenyan farmers will now be able to import highly marketable potato seed varieties from the Netherlands after an agreement by the two governments.

January 18, 2012

Mozambique plans to stop importing seed potatoes by 2013

Mozambique’s Agricultural Development Fund (FDA) plans to make efforts to store seed potatoes as the government has set a target to stop importing the product by 2013, the Fund’s chairman said.

January 16, 2012

New potato varieties give hope to Tanzania farmers

A recent case study by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) showcases a new effort to produce high quality seed potatoes for farmers in Tanzania.

December 12, 2011

Centro Internacional de la Papa busca investigador para liderar programa de papa en el África subsahariana

El Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) está buscando un científico principal con amplia experiencia en investigación y recaudación de fondos, para dirigir y ampliar el programa de papa que el CIP ha establecido en el África Subsahariana, con sede en ...

October 28, 2011

Masaï vrouw wordt aardappelpionier

Christine Nashuru lijkt een traditionele Masaï vrouw, lang en stil. Ze leeft in het Transmara district in Kenia. Ze heeft, doordat ze vrouw is, geen formeel onderwijs genoten, maar, dankzij een cursus van het CIP (International Potato Center) is zij nu...

October 26, 2011

Nederlands pootgoed impuls voor voedselproductie Kenia

De Nederlandse aardappel kan een bijdrage leveren aan het oplossen van het voedselprobleem in Kenia. Daarvoor is vers, virusvrij pootgoed nodig. Rob Holtrop werkt daaraan. Aardappel is, na mais, het gewas dat in Kenia het meest wordt verbouwd voor lok...

October 24, 2011

In Kenya, a Maasai woman becomes a potato seed production pioneer

A CIP project in Kenya and other African nations is fostering private adoption of a three-generation seed multiplication strategy. Combined with improved knowledge and skills the project should lead to average yield increases of 20%.

October 21, 2011

Zimbabwe: Seed Potato Farmers frustrated by High Costs of Production

Beneficiaries of the land reform programme who are producing potato seed in Nyanga (Zimbabwe) have expressed concern over high costs of production. This, the farmers say, was making it difficult for resource-poor but interested farmers to break into t...

September 13, 2011

Floods and Frost result in potato chips shortage in South Africa

Potatoes South Africa reported that the potato industry in South Africa had lost at least 60.000 tons of potatoes this year, largely due to flooding and frost. As a result of a history of poor harvests, chip maker Simba (Pepsico/Frito-Lay) has adopted...

September 02, 2011

Zimbabwe: farmers shun potato growing

Most farmers in Zimbabwe are shunning potato farming owing to lack of knowledge on the crop. Potato production has been a preserve of former commercial farmers. Seed Potato Co-operation general manager Mr Cain Manzira said his organisation had realise...

August 26, 2011

Nuevas variedades de papa para mejorar los medios de subsistencia y los ingresos en Mozambique

Mozambique lanzó siete nuevas variedades de papa, obtenidas por el programa de mejoramiento del Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP), como parte de un esfuerzo por mejorar la seguridad alimentaria y mitigar la pobreza del país. Mozambique importa actu...