New Roadmap for the Investment in the Seed Potato Value Chain in Eastern Africa

The International Potato Centre has developed a detailed road map for the Investment in the seed potato value chain in Eastern Africa that will target fice countries in the Eastern Africa region namely Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The project will involve investments in the so called "Irish Potatoes" and not sweet potatoes.

The project, funded by the United States Agency for International development, USAID will target business investments in key areas along the seed potato value chain to increase the availability high quality seed potatoes from 1% to at least 5% of demand (in Kenya the target is 10%) and promote improved seed management.

Will we have a value chain for sweet potatoes?

The project is expected to raise the incomes of small holder potato farmers, improve food security and contribute to the growth of the rural economies in those five African countries. The program identifies five core investment areas where the proposed intervention will be applied to achieve the objectives set and these include:

• Improving quality of seed production and distribution
•  Enhancing Profitability of quality seed use.
• Upgrading Value Chain Coordination.
• Promoting regional networks for sharing knowledge and best practices
• Growing intra-regional trade in seed.

The five year projects builds on some recent initiatives funded by the USAID in the 3G revolution in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Led by the International Potato Centre which successfully aeroponics technology(rapid seed multiplication technology) and supported its adaption and adoption which led to the significant increase in production of seed potato mini tubers at the national and regional scale. The project fostered private adoption of the three-generation (hence the “3G”) seed multiplication strategy and improved knowledge and skills leading to average yield increases of 20% for over 15,000 smallholder growers on potato production technologies and best practices.

In this new Roadmap, USAID will invest $15 million in the five East African countries that is expected to generate a net present value of $128.7 million. It will lead to the increase in yield by 20% in the five target countries which will in turn lead to the increase in farmer incomes by 15%; increase food security through 10% increase in potato production and greater business opportunities for at least 240,000 households of potato growers. The impact of the Roadmap will include the following:

• Rapid Multiplication Technologies("3G Technology")
•  Accelerate availability of high quality seed
• Improved quality of farm saved seed material
• Decentralized  production for quality seed for farmers.
• Appropriate farmer-friendly seed quality control.
• Seed inspection and certification.
• Good seed storage and management.
• Screen houses, green houses/DLS.
• Farmer's seed business training
• Farmer awareness creation and quality seed and market friendly varieties
• Farmer/Producer organization strengthening.

Visit here to read the full report on the Roadmap for the Investment in Seed Potato Value chain in Eastern Africa.