ENHANCEMENT OF IRRIGATION WATER PRODUCTIVITY:

IRRIGATED POTATO PRODUTION RESEARCH IN ASALS

By: Wachira KaguongoCEO-NPCK

NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL OF KENYA

Who is NPCK?

• The NPCK is a multi-stakeholder and a PPP organization, with the responsibility of planning, organizing and coordinating activities of the value chains in potato industry

• It aims at working with all the actors and SHDs to develop potato subsector into a robust, competitive and self-regulating industry

• draws synergies from a wide membership• Farmers, Researchers, Extension, Traders,

Processors, Regulatory bodies & Devt partners

Strategic aims/ Objectives

Help develop potato value chains in ways that will result in a self-regulating potato industry in Kenya

Encourage collaboration & cooperation among SHDs for the growth & prosperity of PPP in the industry

Promote best practices to standardize potato quality, improve yields, and enhance commercial value in local, regional & global mkts

Collect, manage & disseminate info relevant to SHDs in industry.

Mobilize and managing resources for structural development and financial sustainability of NPCK

Help address cross-cutting and emerging issues

Staple and cash crop; Second after maize in importance

Currently supports more than 800,000 farm households; rich in micronutrients

Provides employment along value chain (2.5m- farmers, transporters, traders, processors and handlers)

Short cycle crop; Matures in less than 4 months can be grow up to

3 times

High productivity per unit of land & time Currently producing at less than 10tons/ha but

with a potential of up to 40-60 tons/ha

How important is the Potato?

Food security: Increased productivity would imply adequate

supply (Both for food and for sale) High supply would also imply low consumer prices

Foreign exchange earnings; Adequate supply means consistency in processing

and foreign market supply Saving in foreign exchange- import substitution

Employment creation High production & introduction of processing

varieties would attract investors to establish processing firms thus create employment

Prospects of the Potato subsector

Limited production of quality seed >95% use “farmers seed” and <2% use certified Limited use of rapid seed multiplication

technologies- aeroponics Low adoption of low cost seed production methods-

Seedplots, clean seed, positive selection

Limited use of quality seed Low access and lack of information Limited availability of quality seed

Lack of processing and lowland varieties-lead to:

inadequate supply of quality potatoes for processing Imported potato products Low agribusiness (< 20% )

So, what is the problem? Where are the opportunities?

Use of low quality seed

Limited area under production Production limited to high altitude areas; above

1500m which is less than 20%- whereas Kenyan ASAL is underutilized

Reliance on rainfall in both seed and ware production

This leads to uncertainty; shortages and sometimes glut

Poor Crop management practices Most farmers are ignorant on how to produce

good quality seed and ware potatoes

cont’….

Complimentallity & Synergy based on visions

NIB“To develop, promote and

improve irrigated agriculture through

sustainable exploitation of available irrigation and drainage potential in

Kenya in order to ensure food security, create

wealth and employment, therefore improving the

living standards of Kenyans”

NPCK

“To have Potato industry emerge as a

leading contributor to stable incomes, food

security and improved welfare in Kenya”

Proposed Partnership between NIB & NPCK

Expansion of area under potato production to include lowlands;

Validation of potential lowland varieties table and processing varieties

Production of certified seed for lowland Using aeroponics technology

Production of table and processing potatoes

Training and technical support Providing technical advice & support to farmers

Production, pre- & post harvest mgt practices Laboratory tests & advice

Linkage to the market potato marketers and processors inputs and financial institutions

Activities under Partnership

aeroponics system improve seed production to ratio of 1:35-60 as opposed to 1:8 of conventional means

Use of aeroponics systems

Aeroponics facility-greenhouse

Tissue culture plantlets

Plant the plantlets on aeroponics boxes

The roots will grow and tubers will form

Inspection and harvesting is done by opening the boxes

Tubers hanging from suspended roots

Three sizes of minitubers

Seed plots –used to produce quality seeds

•Increased water productivity

•Offer alternative rotation crop for improved irrigated land management

•Improve incomes and food security for communities in ASALs

•Create employment for the in ASALs

•Provide high quality seeds to farming households in ASALs

Benefits from the partnerships

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Thank You