News on Potato Varieties and Seed from Africa

Seed potato farmers in Kenya’s potato growing regions are adopting a new technology with potential to boost quality seed availability: the farmers are using rooted apical cuttings as starter material for seed production as opposed to certified seed.

New potato varieties are needed in Rwanda to meet the current market demands. Nevertheless, the potato variety Kinigi is still favorite among farmers as well as in the community of potato consumers.

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

District Agricultural officers in Uganda have been urged to embrace Irish potato tissue culture so as to improve the quality and quantity of Irish potato production, which is one of the best foods to fight hunger.

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.

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

Potato Research in Eritrea has come up with a suitable disease resistant variety. The farmers selected to test the new variety, called for distribution to all farmers.

A survey done in 20 counties in Kenya released earlier this month, shows that Potato Cyst Nematode infestation has reached 80 to 100 per cent in some of the potato growing areas.

The Food & Business Knowledge Platform - a knowledge platforms focused on food security initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs - supported a fact-finding mission in East Africa to explore the potential of the usage of hybrid true potato seeds (TPS) for this region

South Africa’s competition watchdog (Competition Commission South Africa) has charged the Dutch seed potato breeder HZPC Holland B.V. and its exclusive South African distributor Wesgrow Potatoes for anti-competitve conduct for the exclusive supply of the variety Mondial.

Situated in the Northeast of Tanzania, the district of Lushoto is part of the so called highlands of Tanzania where potatoes are traditionally grown. Due to heat and lack of resilient potato varieties, farmers would often lose all the crop.

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.

A bilateral trade deal between Scotland and Kenya opens up the Kenyan Potato market to the import of Scottish Seed potatoes

In a sign of a maturing market, two potato processing companies in Kenya - Tropical Heat - a snack manufacturer - and Sereni Fries said they will sign contracts with growers to supply 600 tonnes of potatoes every month in order to assure their supply of potatoes suitable for processing.

The Nyandarua county Government (Kenya) has entered into a partnership with the German Government to help boost its potato production.

Kenya is set to launch new varieties of potatoes that will boost quality and yield.

Potato growers in Tanzania stand to benefit from a new agreement between Netherlands and Tanzania, targeting to help farmers in the country boost the tubers production as well as being provided with potential market outlets abroad.

Social impact investor and project developer AGDEVCO has invested in a US$4.5 million partnership with Saise Farming Enterprises Limited (SFEL) to produce potato seed for smallholder farmers in Northern Province of Zambia.