A Nairobi workshop in March 2019 brought together agricultural stakeholders to address challenges in Kenya's potato sector, emphasizing the need for modernization to achieve food security targets by 2022. The discussion focused on optimizing production capacity, which experts estimate could reach 8-10 million tonnes annually, potentially displacing maize as the primary staple.
FPEAK CEO Hosea Machuki stated that aligning potato production with the Big Four agenda's food security pillar requires innovation, mechanization, and large-scale farming. 'Kenya can emerge as East Africa's leading potato market while ensuring domestic supply through these strategies,' he said during the event.
Current annual output averages 2-3 million tonnes, with 2017 data showing 1.15 million tonnes of sweet potatoes harvested, of which 1.036 million tonnes were consumed. Lusike Wasilwa of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Organisation warned that underfunding and limited research investment threaten progress toward 2022 goals. 'Research could contribute 2% to GDP but remains neglected,' he noted.
The session also addressed infrastructure gaps and policy reforms needed to unlock potato's economic and nutritional potential, following a January 2019 market observation in Kisii County where 90kg sacks retailed at KES 3,800.
