News on Potato Varieties and Seed from Kenya

In Kenya, potatoes are a key staple food, second only to maize. Yet its potato value chain has been underdeveloped for decades also. This has been acknowledged by the Kenyan government.

Despite being a trained accountant and currently pursuing a Bachelor in Commerce, James Gachiri had a desire to become a successful potato farmer.

Kenyan farmers are facing a shortage of certified seed potatoes following the rejection of 78 percent of the planting materials that had been imported last year.

An acute shortage of potatoes has hit Nyandarua County, a top producer of potatoes in Kenya and in fact, the entire country is suffering from a shortage.

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.

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.

Based on extensive trials (two years, three separate farms, ten potato varieties) in a joint effort of AHDB, James Hutton Ltd, SASA and Seeds2B Africa (part of the Syngenta Foundation) three GB potato varieties have been recommended for release in Kenya.

Seed Potatoes sent out to Kenya from Great Britain has performed strongly on three Kenyan trial sites.

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.

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

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.

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.

The Dutch Embassy in Kenya will next week launch the Potato Value Chain Africa website at the Eldoret Agri-Trade Fair, in a bid to support farmers in the country.

Kenya loses Sh19 billion annually due to poor production and processing of potatoes, a 2014 study has revealed.