News on Potato Cultivation from Africa

February 09, 2019

Restaurants in Kenya face acute shortage of potatoes

Restaurants in Kenya are reeling from an acute shortage of Irish potatoes with the Agriculture ministry putting the supply gap at 1.7 million metric tonnes.

September 06, 2018

Kenyan county receives 1 million Euro from the European Union to boost potato farming

The county Nyandarua in Kenya has received a Sh116 million (€1 million; USD 1.16 million) grant from the European Union to boost potato farming.

Chipsy launches its biggest agricultural programme for potato seed production

April 27, 2018

Egypt: Chipsy launches agricultural program to produce all seed potatoes locally

Pepsico's joint venture in Egypt, Chipsy For Food Industries SAE, announced a major agricultural programme to produce all seed potatoes locally.

January 14, 2018

Struggling Potato Growers in Kenya turn to Contract Farming

To deal with climate pressures, potato growers in Kenya are turning to contract farming to earn more money and get better seed.

October 16, 2017

International Potato Center (CIP) and Blackpace Group to cooperate in advancing potato production in Africa

The International Potato Center (CIP) and BlackPace Africa Group (BPA) executed a Technical and Scientific agreement to advance potato production in Africa, with focus on Rwanda.

August 30, 2017

International Potato Center sees opportunities in Eastern Rwanda for clean potato seed production

Experts in potato breeding and research have identified Eastern Province of Rwanda as a potential alternative for clean potato seed production.

Zambia urgently needs to regulate import of potatoes

July 02, 2017

Zambia urgently needs to better regulate the import of potatoes and establish phytosanitary labs

Zambia and South Africa may be perfectly at peace, but farmers on either side of the Limpopo River - the border between the two countries - seem engaged in a trade war. And it is mostly about potatoes...

May 11, 2017

Plateau State Potato Value Chain Project in Nigeria to begin in June

The potato value chain project in Plateau state (Nigeria) - to be funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) - will be formally launched in the state by June.

May 03, 2017

Opportunities for potato farming in Nigeria

Potato farming in Nigeria has the potential to generate billions of Naira (millions of USD) annually. Nigeria produces about 1.5 million tons of potato per year and has a per capita consumption of about 7kg per year. However, many farmers struggle to sell to formal commercial buyers, mainly due to poor product quality and lack of organization.

March 15, 2017

Potato Processors in Kenya contract 23,000 farmers to meet consumer demand

Some 23,000 farmers in 13 potato-producing counties in Kenya have signed contracts with various potato processing companies in the country to buy the produce to supply enough food to consumers.

Potato farmers in Tanzania get recommendation to use Mechanization

February 16, 2017

Potato farmers in Tanzania are urged to use Mechanization

In a bid to increase yields of Irish potatoes production in Tanzania, Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzanians (SAGCOT) has introduced a new system where its growers are encouraged to use modern tilling tractors in its pilot study areas.

September 08, 2016

Nigerians consume french fries worth USD 200 million each year

Michael Agbogo, co-founder of Vicampro, disclosed that Nigerians consume about 120 tonnes of French fries daily, even as the whole of West Africa region lacks real food processors. According to him, 'Nigeria imports about $200 million worth of French fries annually'...

May 17, 2016

Rwanda demand for quality seed potatoes exceeds supply

Farmers of Irish potatoes in Rwanda are decrying not only the shortage of quality seeds but also the mounting prices.

May 02, 2016

African Development Bank Project will boost Potato cultivation in Nigeria

The African Development Bank (AfDB) potato value chain project that will boost potato farming will commence in the State Plateau (Nigeria) soon.

April 14, 2016

Algeria aims to make potato export 'structural'

Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishing Sid Ahmed Ferroukhi stressed Thursday in Algiers that potato exports will continue during the three upcoming years to reach 70,000 tons.

March 23, 2016

Potato Farmers in Kenya turn to mechanization to meet rapidly increasing demand

The fast expansion of cities and towns and the popularity of fast foods have created a rapidly increasing demand for potatoes in Kenya.

East Africa Potato Knowledge Portal established as part of Spirit Project

March 08, 2016

East Africa Potato Knowledge Portal created to strengthen the innovative capacity of local potato value chain

You can now join the East Africa Potato Value Chain Knowledge Sharing Portal, which aims to address the scientific and technological divide in the field of agricultural value-chain innovations by enabling East African research organizations to create, update and use scientific knowledge and technological innovations.

February 25, 2016

Dutch company to support commercial Angola potato production

An unidentified agricultural company from the Netherlands will support farmers in large scale potato production in the irrigated area of Matala, in Angola’s Huila province.