Inside the new potato seed multiplication unit in Njoro

A saying goes among potato lovers that potatoes are God’s greatest gift to humanity as they can be consumed in any shape and form and still have a unique taste.

Yet unbeknownst to these consumers, the seed industry of the said crop seems to be facing multiple challenges with the most pressing being access to certified seed.

Certified seeds are seeds that have been qualified for purity and are free from disease.

Regrettably, almost 80 percent of farmers recycle potatoes from their previous yields to which experts note a significant drop in productivity and quality.

But potato seed multipliers in potato-producing sub-counties in Nakuru including Njoro, are set to benefit from an innovative seed multiplication unit launched at Seed Delight farm in Njoro sub-county by Farm to Market Alliance (FtMA) and other stakeholders.

The 8 by 44m aeroponic (cultivating plants in an air or mist environment, eliminating the need for soil or an aggregate medium) unit is set to produce enough seed to plant approximately 10 acres per growing season, with two seasons occurring annually.

According to Steve Chege, the founder of Seed Delight Ltd, the seed multiplication unit will ensure the availability of clean seed to potato seed multipliers.

“This facility will provide potato seed multipliers with a source of clean planting material,” says Chege.

“They can then multiply this material two or three times to produce certified seeds for farmers. The main issue we're addressing is the scarcity of early-generation seed sources.”

Ms. Lily Chepkwony, a potato farmer in Keringet, Kuresoi South, who has utilized six acres of her 12 acres of land to plant ware potatoes (for consumption) this season, and in the future looks to go into seed multiplication, says she has previously been sourcing her seed from as far as Meru and Njoro's Mau Narok.

She laments that this has been costly, significantly raising her cost of production.

“I’ve been sourcing my seed from as far as Meru County which has significantly raised my cost of production over the years. Now that we have a seed multiplication in our proximity, this will largely reduce the cost of transport which highly impacts the cost of production,” says Ms. Chepkwony.

She agrees with Chege that the seed unit will also help in curbing the inadequacy of certified seed due to high demand as farmers in the farmer’s centre will be given priority.

“Access to certified seed will empower farmers in the market. It will enable them to increase their yield, allowing for more competitive pricing of their produce. This will, ultimately, lead to higher incomes for the farmers,” she says.

The potato sector in Nakuru county is a Sh. 9.2 billion industry that sees farmers growing substandard seed stored from past harvests making the potato sector less productive and less profitable.

The innovative technology, therefore, has come in at the nick of time to enhance access to certified potato seed which will boost productivity and income while contributing to food and nutrition security in the county.