Sweetpotato Farming in Kenya

Sweetpotato ranks as the seventh most important crop in the world, with an annual production of over 125 million tons. Nearly 95 percent of the world’s sweetpotato production is in developing countries. In Asia and Africa, sweetpotato is historically a subsistence crop, especially in areas where people’s food security is at high risk. source:International Potato Centre

Sweet potato farming in Kenya has grown tremendously in the last decade.Kabondo division in Rachuonyo district, Nyanza province is known to produce 60% of sweet potatoes in Kenya.Farmers mostly practice subsistence farming;the potatoes are planted on small farms cultivated by oxen.

A farmer is helped to pack potatoes into sacks. The potatoes are bought by middlemen who later sell them at almost triple the prices in other towns.Image courtsey 'The Standard'

 The potato is harvested after 4-5 months and is mostly sold in far away Nairobi.The produce is washed and packed in 100kg bags for a transport to the Nairobi market mainly by middlemen.A 100Kg bag is sold for between $30-$50 thereby earning farmers valuable income.

More Kenyans in the urban areas are starting to consume sweet potatoes due to their health benefits.There is therefore great potential for the crop in the future.

A good harvest:A boy displays a huge potato.Image Courtesy The Standard

 Access to market has been a serious issue since farmers produce but they get very little out of it as middlemen buy the 100kg bag from farmers at a cost of $15 per bag.Transporters charge $8 per bag to transport the crop to Nairobi markets which accounts for 90% of sales.Some farmers have therefore entered the sweet potato trade;they cultivate and then transport the produce to the market themselves thereby eliminating the middlemen.However,fewer farmers have the financial means to compete with the middlemen.

A girl harvests sweet potatoes from her parents' farm in Kabondo.Most farmers in Kabondo are smallholders cultivating farms ranging from 1-5 acres.

 Another problem for farmers is that supermarket chains like Nakumatt and Tuskys are unwilling to stock the Vitamin A rich Orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) which constitutes almost 100% of cultivated farmland.They instead prefer the round white potatoes which is rarely cultivated by farmers.Farmers here do not have access to agricultural extension services and rely on their wit and experiences to choose variety of potatoes to be cultivated and what time.Farmers also lack access to agricultural cooperatives to supply them with farm inputs and lines of credit.

Consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potato could significantly reduce vitamin A deficiency, which threatens an estimated 43 million children under age 5 in Sub-Saharan Africa.Some supermarkets in Kenya prefer the round white potatoes thus denying farmers access to a crucial urban market.

 Because of this, they are forced to sell at a throwaway price to the local markets. This does not earn them much money since by that time the market is flooded with sweet potatoes.As a result of East African integration, recent opening of the market has led to the seasonal flooding of the market by Tanzanian potato farmers who sell almost all their produce to Kenya.

Contact Us:kabondofarms@yahoo.com