adminKENYAN farmers have challenges getting certified seed potatoes, a government official said yesterday. Agriculture Principal Secretary Sicily Kariuki told a food forum that as a result average yields remain at 10 tonnes per hectare which is way below the potential of 40 tonnes per hectare.“Since Kenya gained independence, certified potato seed production has remained low at less that four percent of the national requirement,” Kariuki said during the German Food Partnership Potato Initiative.
The three-day event brought over 50 stakeholders from Kenya and German to discuss ways of enhancing Kenya’s potato sector. Potato is the second most important food crop in Kenya after maize.
A seed certification system has existed in Kenya since the enactment of a seed law in 1972. “However, seed production has remained low as it is mainly done by public institutions that are underfunded,” she said.
“It has therefore become necessary to engage the private sector in seed production,” she said. The Ministry of Agriculture has said that Kenya has so far released 19 varieties of potatoes seeds.
“However, most of the varieties are for home consumption. There is therefore need to produce more varieties for processing so as to eliminate need for importation,” she said.
“Low income levels among the farmers also leads to low productivity as a result of limited use of inputs and technology,” Kariuki said.
She added that these challenges are not unique to Kenya as average yields in Africa are also low. The leading potato producing nations in Africa include Egypt, Malawi, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda and Angola. Kariuki said that the government has in the recent past accelerated efforts to remedy the situation.
“Key among these is the improvement on the quantities of certified seeds available to farmers,” she said.
The PS said that the need for certified seed has been necessitated by the outbreak of the Maize Lethal Necrosis disease.
“The improving economy and changing lifestyles is increasing demand for processed potatoes especially in the urban centres,” she said.
She said that small scale farmers face the problem of marketing their produce due to the poor infrastructure.
“There is also poor value chain support systems as well as exploitation by middle men,” Kariuki said.
Kariuki said that potato has been used to prepare a number of traditional dishes and also to supplement maize.
“The emerging middle class consumes processed potatoes in large quantities and this has led to the establishment of many fast food outlets in the country,” she said.
The PS said that demand has increased yet production is not rising due to number of challenges along the value chain.
German International Development Corporation (GIZ) Kenya Programme Manager Andrea Bahm said that his organisation is promoting the sustainable modernisation of the Africa’s agro- processing sector.
“We will assist small potato producers and processors identity suitable and inclusive business models that will help improve their incomes,” he said. – Xinhua
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