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ENHANCEMENT OF IRRIGATION WATER PRODUCTIVITY: IRRIGATED POTATO PRODUTION RESEARCH IN ASALS

NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL OF KENYA. ENHANCEMENT OF IRRIGATION WATER PRODUCTIVITY: IRRIGATED POTATO PRODUTION RESEARCH IN ASALS. By: Wachira Kaguongo CEO-NPCK. Who is NPCK?.

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ENHANCEMENT OF IRRIGATION WATER PRODUCTIVITY: IRRIGATED POTATO PRODUTION RESEARCH IN ASALS

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  1. NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL OF KENYA ENHANCEMENT OF IRRIGATION WATER PRODUCTIVITY: IRRIGATED POTATO PRODUTION RESEARCH IN ASALS By: Wachira Kaguongo CEO-NPCK

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. How important is the Potato? • 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

  5. Prospects of the Potato subsector • 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

  6. So, what is the problem? Where are the opportunities? • 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% )

  7. Use of low quality seed

  8. cont’…. • 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

  9. Proposed Partnership between NIB & NPCK Complimentallity & Synergy based on visions NPCK “To have Potato industry emerge as a leading contributor to stable incomes, food security and improved welfare in Kenya” 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”

  10. Activities under Partnership • 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

  11. Use of aeroponics systems • aeroponics system improve seed production to ratio of 1:35-60 as opposed to 1:8 of conventional means Aeroponics facility-greenhouse

  12. Tissue culture plantlets • Plant the plantlets on aeroponics boxes

  13. The roots will grow and tubers will form • Inspection and harvesting is done by opening the boxes

  14. Tubers hanging from suspended roots Three sizes of minitubers

  15. Seed plots –used to produce quality seeds

  16. Benefits from the partnerships • 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

  17. t Thank You

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