News on The Potato Supply Chain from Africa

A community project that provides farmers with healthy seed potato, cultivated using innovative laboratory techniques is significantly increasing yields in Kenya, an agricultural expert says.

More than 3,000 small-holder potatoes farmers from Nakuru are set to benefit from a KES 127 million (USD 1 million) program aimed at enhancing potato production in the County.

With almost 10 billion people to feed by 2050 and food production threatened by declining resources, global food security faces an immense challenge that needs to be addressed.

Potato farmers have welcomed the government’s on-going trials on the use of agricultural biotechnology in producing a new Irish potato variety resistant to the devastating late blight disease.

The potato sector in Algeria is considered to be a strategic crop for the economic development, many levers have been put in place in recent years to increase yield levels , which have been quadrupled to 5 million tons.

In the midst of a sunlit room in Nnewi, south-east Nigeria, a woman measures out four parts of sweet potato puree – the colour of apricot – into a large basin containing six parts wheat flour.

Commercialisation of potato, a common food crop largely consumed in East Africa, will receive a boost following the launching of a value-chain platform dedicated to it.

McCain Foods Limited has unveiled plans for a second Farms of the Future in South Africa, as part of its drive to cut carbon emissions and tackle the impacts of climate change.

In the next two months, Kenyan potatoes will be on the menu of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). This follows an intervention by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET) and the American fast food chain.

Corteva Agriscience launched Zorvec Encantia, a new fungicide that specifically targets late blight, a detrimental pathogen currently compromising potato growth in South Africa. The solution, based on Zorvec active, is the first member of a novel class of fungicides.

Agrico PSA is proud to communicate another impressive milestone reached: now over 50,000 Kenyan potato farmers are digitally partnering via their Facebook page! PSA’s Facebook page has evolved into a platform where potato knowledge is shared.

Potato farmers in Kabale District, Uganda are elated following the commissioning of Muhingi Products Factory which is hoped to create added value addition for both sweet potato and Irish potato produce.

Free smartphone app Nuru helps African potato farmers to detect late blight (Phytophthora) and early blight (Alternaria) since 2021

After several years of self-sufficiency, Algeria will start importing potatoes again. The reason is that the prices of this basic product have soared on the market, in some areas exceeding 140 dinars (about USD 0.096) per kilogram.

With potato production in East Africa under increasing threat from the invasive and highly destructive potato cyst nematode (PCN) pest, an organic technology developed from banana plant waste material may well be the ultimate rescue.

The potato industry in South Africa is investing in various technologies to improve its sustainability and is in the process of developing a mobile app to improve communication with members.

Sources revealed to Al-Mal that 131 thousand tons of potato seeds arrived from European facilities approved for import from last October until early January, for 76 approved varieties.

Droughts have long posed a threat to farmers in southern Africa, and models predict they will become more frequent, unpredictable, and intense as global warming continues.