NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 28 – Kenya’s potato industry is struggling to reach its production potential, with poor access to certified seed limiting yields, constraining farmers’ incomes and leaving processors reliant on imported products.

Potatoes are Kenya’s second most important staple after maize and support more than 800,000 smallholder farmers. Yet national average yields remain at between eight and 12 tonnes per hectare, compared with a potential of 30 tonnes or more under suitable conditions using quality seed and appropriate agronomic practices.

The gap points to a longstanding challenge in the sector: farmers continue to rely heavily on seed saved from previous harvests or sourced through informal markets, increasing the risk of disease, declining productivity and inconsistent crop quality.

Kenya faces a certified potato seed deficit estimated at more than 90 per cent, with fewer than five per cent of farmers accessing certified seed, according to industry estimates.

The consequences extend beyond individual farms. Low productivity limits the supply of raw materials for processors, constrains the development of value-added potato products and contributes to Kenya’s continued reliance on imported frozen French fries for hotels and fast-food outlets.

Addressing the problem requires a shift from expanding cultivated acreage to improving productivity, starting with the development of a reliable seed system.

At Potato Development Corporation (PDC), we believe improved seed varieties can help farmers raise yields while responding to changing climatic conditions and evolving market requirements.

This means developing varieties that can withstand diseases such as late blight and bacterial wilt, mature faster and use water and fertilizer more efficiently. It also means matching varieties to specific uses, including crisps, French fries and fresh consumption.

Currently, farmers often plant varieties based on availability rather than the requirements of their intended buyers.

Better coordination between seed suppliers, farmers and processors could help address this disconnect.

PDC, working with Polish breeders and the University of Eldoret, is evaluating three potato varieties under Kenyan conditions.

The objective is to establish whether the varieties can perform locally before supporting the development of domestic seed multiplication systems.

The longer-term goal should be to reduce dependence on imported planting material by building local capacity for seed production, multiplication and distribution while maintaining rigorous quality standards.

However, improved varieties alone will not resolve the problem if farmers cannot afford or access them.

Investment in tissue culture laboratories, certified seed multipliers and decentralized distribution networks is needed to bring quality planting material closer to smallholder farmers in major potato-producing areas such as Nyandarua, Nakuru and Elgeyo Marakwet.

Access must also be timely. Delays in obtaining seed can disrupt planting schedules and reduce the benefits of using improved varieties.

Market access is equally important. Farmers are more likely to invest in certified seed when they have confidence that their produce will find a buyer at a viable price.

Stronger contractual arrangements between farmers and processors could help provide that assurance, particularly where buyers require specific varieties and quality standards.

Such arrangements would also need transparent pricing and fair terms to protect farmers from market risks.

Kenya’s flower, tea and horticulture industries demonstrate the importance of improved planting material, technical expertise and reliable market linkages in developing competitive agricultural value chains.

The potato sector can draw lessons from these industries while accounting for its own production and marketing challenges.

The issue also has implications for food security and rural incomes. Raising yields from existing farms could increase domestic supply without requiring a corresponding expansion in cultivated land.

A more consistent supply of quality potatoes could support local processing, create employment and reduce the need for imported potato products.

As Kenya hosts the World Potato Congress in Naivasha this week, attention will turn to the country’s capacity to develop a more productive and competitive potato industry.

The opportunity is significant, but achieving it will require coordinated investment from government, research institutions, seed producers, farmers and processors.

Regulatory processes must protect seed quality while enabling the timely evaluation and release of suitable varieties.

For too long, the conversation around potato production has focused on acreage. The next phase must place greater emphasis on productivity, quality and market access.

Getting the seed right will not solve every challenge facing potato farmers, including input costs, storage losses, access to finance and price volatility.

But it is a critical starting point for building a value chain that delivers better returns to farmers and a more reliable supply of potatoes to consumers and processors.

Kenya has the farming expertise and production potential to strengthen its position in the regional potato market.

Turning that potential into economic gains begins with ensuring that farmers can access the right seed, at the right time and at a price they can afford.

Peter Mayne is the Managing Director of Potato Development Corporation (PDC).