Kenyan potato sector struggles with seed potato quality and financing problems
In Kenya, the potato sector is struggling with an inadequate supply of good quality seed potatoes for preferred varieties, leading to a reliance on propagating low-quality conventional seed potatoes.
The National Potato Strategy 2021-2025, released by the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, highlights a slight improvement in access to certified seed potatoes, despite the development, certification and release of a large number of varieties. The report cites the scarcity of basic seed potatoes and their perishability as major challenges, which hamper storage and marketing.
The Kenya Agricultural, Livestock and Research Organisation (KARLO), in collaboration with local universities and the International Potato Centre (CIP), conducts seed potato research at the KARLO-Tigoni National Research Centre. The potential varieties are then submitted to KEPHIS for evaluation and certification. However, structural changes in the 1990s, including the allocation of research land to private individuals, have led to a shortage of land for seed potato propagation at KALRO Tigoni and ADC Molo, further exacerbating the problem.
The report also highlights the financial constraints faced by these institutions, which affects their ability to effectively support the sector. Despite the crucial role of potatoes as a food crop and income generating enterprise, the sector has not received sufficient funding, although some provinces have increased their budgetary allocations. The report proposes that Savings and Credit Cooperatives (Saccos) provide group loans, enabling farmers to access certified seed potatoes and other inputs. It also proposes that mechanisms be established to access funds under the Agriculture and Food Authority Act and that financial institutions be engaged to provide tailored financial and insurance services to the potato sector.
Fuente: KNA
