This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
On May 15, 2019, the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) licensed Kevian Limited to commercialize five high-yielding potato seed varieties in a 15-year partnership.
The partnership aims to benefit 50,000 farmers in potato-growing regions and meet the current demand for high-quality potato crops in the country, according to KALRO's Director General Eliud Kireger.
Many multinational fast food stores in Kenya have been forced to import their potato stock due to local potato breeds not meeting the required standards.
According to KALRO, this is due to the recycling of poor-quality potato seeds by farmers, despite local breeders creating hybrid seeds.
Under the partnership, Kevian Limited will distribute the improved potato seeds to farmers in potato-growing regions and later purchase the harvest from the same farmers for processing.
The government has been encouraged to establish more public-private partnerships to link breeders with farmers and improve agricultural output in the country.
The government has also been urged to step up its efforts in enforcing the 50 kg potato packaging laws to protect farmers from exploitation and reduce potato post-harvest losses.
