News on Research from Africa

Members of the Namibian Potato and Onion Producers Association (Popa) recently met at Tsumeb to elect a new board.

You can now join the East Africa Potato Value Chain Knowledge Sharing Portal, which aims to address the scientific and technological divide in the field of agricultural value-chain innovations by enabling East African research organizations to create, update and use scientific knowledge and technological innovations.

Researchers from the University of Nairobi, the International Potato Centre (CIP) and others ave started a pilot project in Tanzania, where a drone was able to pinpoint 14 different varieties of sweet potatoes in Ukiriguru Research Institute in Mwanza.

The Cameroonian Ministry of Industry has just issued a call for tenders to hire a research firm to conduct a technical, institutional and financial study on behalf of the government to create a potato-processing project for Kumbo in the North-West region.

Kerry, the global ingredients & flavours and consumer foods group, today opened a new Kerry Regional Development & Application Centre in Durban, South Africa.

The recently published LEI/WUR report ‘The value chain for seed and ware potatoes in Kenya’ emphasises the importance of conditioned storage for the continuous availability of certified seed potatoes.

Potato in Kenya is an important food crop, second to maize. In 2011 the Dutch and Kenyan government agreed to support an initiative to support seed potato development in Kenya in order to increase yields and enhance food security.

Scientists in Uganda will soon start confined trials of genetically modified strains of Irish potato designed to be resistant to Phytophthora infestans, the fungus that causes potato blight, now devastating the crop in the west of the country.

Semagn-Asredie Kolech, a Cornell doctoral candidate in the field of horticulture, studies the potato and bridges the tradition of Ethiopian farming with the modernity of agricultural science.

Njoroge is studying a new lineage of Phytophthora infestans called KE-1 that is spreading rapidly across East Africa.

Prof André Jooste recently took over as CEO of Potatoes South Africa (PSA), after nearly six years at the National Agriculture Marketing Council (NAMC). He spoke to Robyn Joubert of Farmers Weekly (South Africa) about his vision for the future.

A new brand campaign for Potatoes South Africa (PSA), the official representative of potato producers in South Africa, wishes to change South Africans into a Potato Nation that maintains balanced diets and make potatoes the everyday, fat-free heart of ...

Imported frozen french fries are threatening the livelihood of more than 11 000 workers in the potato processing industry, says producers association Potatoes SA (PSA).

Potatoes South Africa (PSA) has recently turned to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, as well as the Minister of Trade & Industry, in order to address the influx of frozen French fries into South Africa.

Potatoes South Africa reported that the potato industry in South Africa had lost at least 60.000 tons of potatoes this year, largely due to flooding and frost. As a result of a history of poor harvests, chip maker Simba (Pepsico/Frito-Lay) has adopted...

Plans are underway to start breeding drought resistant potato varieties to curb food shortage. Players in potato farming who were meeting at Oljoro Orok Farmers Training Centre in Nyandarua West district observed that available potato varieties are onl...

In Kenya, Potato farmers and traders are bracing for lower returns after a bumper harvest prompted a price crash, easing consumer anxiety over the rising cost of living compounded by a shortage of maize.

The International Potato Center (CIP) operates a network of offices in 30 countries. Using this network, CIP.distributes (potato) plants to local farmers and adds new breeds to its library.