Bungoma County

Location

Bungoma County lies between latitude 00 28’ and latitude 10 30’ North of the Equator, and longitude 340 20’ East and 350 15’ East of the Greenwich Meridian. The County covers an area of 3032.4 Km2. It boarders the republic of Uganda to the North west, Trans-Nzoia County to the North-East, Kakamega County to the East and South East, and Busia County to the West and South West.

Main crops produced include maize, beans, finger millet, sweet potatoes, bananas, sorghum, Irish potatoes and assorted vegetables. Sugar cane, cotton, palm oil, coffee, tea, sun flower and tobacco are grown as cash crops in the County. The area under food crops is 201,654.6 ha, while that under cash crops is 86,423.4 ha

Potato Production

Potato is an   important and widely cultivated crop enterprise in Bungoma County especially in Mt. Elgon and its catchment. It plays a crucial role in terms of contribution to food security, wealth creation, and economic development in the County. The crop is cultivated by about 20,155 farm families in the County both for subsistence (approx.10%) and income generation (approx. 78%) the rest (approx. 12% is used as farmer own saved seed. The crop is mainly produced by small scale farmers who own between 0.25 – 2 acres per season in two major seasons (March/April – June/July and July/August and one minor season (October/November- Jan/Feb). The average area of production was 1739 Ha in 2018 producing 43,521 tonnes annually of ware potatoes. This earned the farmers Kshs 870 Million per year making it one of the most important crop enterprises in the County. The current average yield of Irish potatoes in the County is 17.5 metric tonnes per hectare against the potential production of 40 metric tonnes per hectare under good agronomic practices. Consequently, farmers’ income is depressed while the market and consumption of potatoes are increasing due to increased urbanization and change in feeding habits

Implementer(s):

  • GIZ
  • CIP
  • KALRO
  • NPCK
  • Agriculture Council of Kenya (AgCK)
  • Implementing Counties

Projects in the County

  1. Project Name: Nutrition Sensitive Potato Partnership Project (NuSePPP)- GIZ

Duration: 2016-2023

Objective

Small-scale farmers apply  good Agricultural Practices for a sustainable potato production  as defined by the project.

The access of potato producers to quality seed potatoes is improved.

Potato Producers have better market access

  1. Project Name: Accelerated Value Chain Development- CIP

Duration 2019-2020

Objective.

Build capacity for smallholder farmers to increase potato productivity by 50% and improve consumption of nutritious foods.

Support access to seed system development in Bungoma County to produce at least 400 tonnes of seed annually.

Empower potato farmer producer organizations (FPOs) to engage in marketing and value addition, and provide other necessary services.

  1. Agriculture Council of Kenya ( AgCK)

Objective.

Strengthen the Irish Potato Value Chain through Fostering implementation of Ware Potato Regulations 2019 for a profitable Potato Industry in Kenya”.

  1. National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK)

NPCK is doing in the county is development of the County Potato Strategy that currently at the cabinet level waiting approval.

NPCK is also part of the county potato regulations implementation committee.

Sensitization of stakeholders on the viazi soko platform