AGRA is spearheading an initiative to increase potato productivity in Kenya, dubbed Kenya Sustainable Potato Initiative (KSPI).
The initiative is in collaboration with the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), Egerton University, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), and the County Government of Nyandarua.
The project will be carried out through various interventions across the potato value chain. It seeks to increase productivity and incomes of 150,000 farmers directly, 40% women and 10% youth, and increase competitiveness of the industry through improved value addition, marketing, and policy environment.
Over 4,800 employment opportunities for young people in primary production, input sourcing, marketing of potatoes, service provision, seed multiplication, are also set to be realized. The KSPI project will be implemented across Nyandarua, Meru, Laikipia, and Nandi Counties for a period of three years starting July 2024 to June 2027. It will be implemented by The National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK) alongside Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), Egerton University, Viazi Kings, and SimpleFine.
John Macharia, AGRA Kenya Country Director, during the launch of KSPI stated, “We are trying to help the private sector build stronger market systems. We are focusing on cooperatives not just as an end to itself, but cooperatives too that will result in value addition, access to markets and processing. The cooperatives need to be able to grow into commercial enterprises, that engage in commercial relationships, that then ensure farmers are getting a bigger stake in the value chain.”
On his part, Professor John Ndiritu, Chair of NPCK stated, “Seeds for potatoes are the biggest bottlenecks for farmers. This project and its consortia members are look to increase seed production from the current 900 metric tonnes to triple that amount in 3 years.” We are also looking to increase more potato varieties and certification schemes for farmers to enable them meet demand from franchises that require traceable and standardized produces.”