Stories
Strengthening the Global Potato Value Chain with Hybrid Diploid True Seed
By Charles Miller, Director, Strategic Alliances & Development, Solynta Background The reliability of the potato value chain is critical to global food and nutritional security. That’s why the potato industry is known for constant innovation. To deliver on the global responsibility, agriculture processes, supply chain, seed science, and more are regularly reviewed and upgraded. One…
Read MoreHybrid Tetraploid True Potato Seed (TPS) production in Tripura, India
Dr. Sampriti Baruah, Regional Research Specialist, International Potato Center Dr. Rajib Ghosh, Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Government of Tripura. Background Potatoes play a significant role in Tripura’s agriculture, particularly during the winter season. Around half of the total cultivation cost is allocated to procuring seed tubers. However, obtaining high-quality, disease-free seed…
Read MoreKIWA, Revalorizing Native Potatoes in Ecuador
Martin Acosta, Inalproces, Ecuador (martin@kiwalife.com) Background In Ecuador, national production of potatoes in 2021 was 250,000 tons, with a harvested area of 19,088 hectares (ha) and an average yield of 13.0 t/ha. The potato is an important part of the production systems of the Ecuadorian highlands, it constitutes an important source of food and income…
Read MoreAdoption of rooted apical cuttings improves the availability of high-quality seed in southwestern Uganda
Frank Kakuru, Kigezi Farmers’ Resource Centre; frksajjah@gmail.com Alex Barekye, Principal Research Officer at National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), former Director of Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (KaZARDI) Pieter Wauters, formerly with International Potato Center in Uganda Background Potato is an important food and cash crop in Uganda. Traditionally grown by smallholder farmers in…
Read MoreImpact of Quality Seed Potato Production in the Eastern Hills of Nepal
Binod Prasad Luitel (binodsan@yahoo.com) and Biremdra Bahadur Rana, National Horticulture Research Center Khumaltar and Janardhan Gautam, Agriculture Research Station, Ilam Background The potato is an important food crop of Nepal, contributing to food security in mountain regions. The potato was first introduced in Nepal by a British explorer in 1793 but it became popular after…
Read MoreDeveloping the Potato Value Chain in Kenya
Humphrey Mburu, MD at Sereni Fries Ltd (serenifries@gmail.com) Faith Aiyabei, Chief Agronomist at Sereni Fries Ltd Website: https://www.Serenifries.co.ke/ Background Potato (commonly referred to as Irish potato) is the second most important food crop in Kenya after maize. Potato production in Kenya is expected to grow. Farmers are being encouraged by the government to diversify their…
Read MoreEstablishing financially sustainable local seed supply systems in Ethiopia
Retta Worku (rworku@snv.org), senior advisor at SNV, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Gerrit Holtland, project manager, SNV, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Background The potato is the largest arable crop cultivated in Ethiopia covering 181,000 ha of land annually. Only 1.3% of the total seed potato is sold/transacted as certified seed fulfilling the Ethiopia Agricultural Authority’s standard. With the…
Read MoreChallenges and opportunities for seed availability and quality in Yemen
Mohammed Ali Muthanna Saleh (mmuthanna14@gmail.com), Dhamar University, Dhamar, Yemen Abdul-Allah Mohammed Dhaif-Allah, Dhamar First Center for seed potato, Dhamar, Yemen Peter VanderZaag, Sunrise Potato Systems Institute, Alliston, Canada Background Yemen has experienced nine years of war resulting in a humanitarian crisis for 65% of the population, increased prices for all commodities and scarcity of agricultural…
Read MoreJoint Efforts Address Smallholder Potato Production in Northwestern Uganda
Claus Opio, Program Officer, ZODFA Peter Van Erum (Peter.van.erum@trias.Ngo), Regional Partnership Manager, Trias East Africa Background Potatoes are mainly grown in the higher altitude regions of southwestern Uganda but also in parts of the east and the northwest. One such area in the northwest is Zombo District in the West Nile subregion of Uganda. Zombo…
Read MoreMechanization improves potato production in Kenya
Christopher Gasperi, Ashley Gasperi (freshcropmarketing@gmail.com) & Brendan Ireland, FreshCrop Limited Shadrack Nyawade, International Potato Center (CIP) Oscar Nzoka, Climate Resilient Agribusiness for Tomorrow (CRAFT) Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) Background In Kenya, national certified potato seed production currently meets less than 5% of acreage needs. Limited availability of affordable, certified seed is considered a key impediment…
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