CROP PROTECTION PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

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R8104: Promoting potato seed-tuber management forincreased ware yields in Kapchorwa District, easternUgandaContact: Rita Laker-Ojok, AT Uganda, Uganda

Potato is an important food security crop in EastAfrica that yields much faster than maize. To geta good potato harvest farmers need to planthealthy seed potatoes and, in recognising thisneed the NGO, AT Uganda, has established,through project R8104, a sustainable system offarmer-led seed potato multiplication forimproved varieties. Seed potatoes can fetch ahigher price than ware potatoes. All groupmembers in the project area (more than 1000farmers) have received clean planting materialand have learned how to multiply and storehealthy seed from season to season using SeedPlot System (SPS). Healthy improved seed potatohas been loaned to commercial multipliers fortwo consecutive seasons. Repayment is threetimes the amount received and has been 99%;this repaid seed is then distributed to farmergroups.

The Kapchorwa Seed Potato ProductionAssociation (KASPPA) has established local

Takwar Charles and Edward Cherutmultiplied a new variety (Nakapot 5) inaddition to Victoria and each receivedmore than 1 million shillings (£284) forthe seed they sold. They also plantedpotato for ware production. Because thecommunity appreciated the improvedseed and quality, the demand for seedwas so high that they ended up sellingthe ware potato as seed and eachreceived more than 1.5 million shillings(£426). This season they are growingeven more potatoes. Potatomultiplication has enabled Takwar topay secondary school fees for his fourchildren.

KASSPA seed loaded for delivery

In 2002, Fred Chemutai planted 10bags of Victoria variety and harvested130 bags of seed potatoes – thefollowing season he got more than 150bags. Through careful management ofthe potato garden and commitment toseed potato production he has realisedhis dream of becoming a landowner.With this land he is increasing his potatoproduction as well as laying thefoundation for his permanent house.

disease thresholds, and a quality controlcommittee conducts regular joint fieldinspections. This has remarkably improved cropmanagement. KASPPA is proud that it has keptthe bacterial wilt (BW) level of its seed below 1.0%(almost as good as the national system). Simpleon-farm tests have been very effective inidentifying BW. This is exciting because it meansthat BW monitoring is reliable, easy, cheap andaccessible to every seed producer. Seed bags arelabelled according to the multiplier, whichensures farmers have redress in case of anyquality control problems.

Inspection of potato multiplication fields