About International Potato Centre (CIP)

CIP is a root and tuber research institution with the aim to deliver sustainable solutions to the pressing world problems of hunger, poverty, and the degradation of natural resources. Learn more

Projects

  1. RTB Scaling Fund: potato varieties and apical cuttings

 Area/County of coverage

Meru,

Kiambu,

Nakuru,

Elgeyo Marakwet,

Nandi

Period

2019-2021

Objective

Accelerate access to quality seed of robust, market-oriented potato varieties by farmers in Kenya and Uganda with the goal to propel the technology package into a fully uncontrolled scaling environment.

Implementer(s)

  • CIP
  • FIPS-AFRICA
  • County government of Meru, ELgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Uasin Gishu,
  • Private Sector
  • NPCK

Funding partners

RTB of the CGIAR

Project Activities

Articulate market relevant product profiles through exposing farmers to robust varieties and assessing their feedback.

 

Assess business models to produce cuttings and use cuttings to produce seed, including facilitating private-private business arrangements between primary and satellite nurseries to produce cuttings

Evaluate the approach of taking variety/cutting innovation package to scale considering different starting points.

Project News/Achievements

Project just started and preparation o multiply seed of new varieties for dissemination while transforming five seed businesses to produce certified seed, three as seed merchants and two as outgrowers. 

Link to other details/read more

Video:

New technology bridging the seed potato gap in Kenya

Documents:

Apical rooted cuttings – Technology brief

Apical rooted cuttings – how to plant

 

  1. Dissemination of climate smart, consumer-demanded potato varieties in Kenya

Area/County of coverage

Not limited to specific County

Period

2019-2021

Objective

To support the NuSePPP project goals by contributing to (A) Agricultural Extension and (B) Seed Availability components.

Implementer(s)

  • CIP

Funding partner

Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture

Project Activities

–Identification of the best performing varieties for seed and ware potato producers in terms of cost for goods sold, agronomic features and market demand targeting mid and high elevation agro-ecologies in Kenya

 

-Involving private seed producers ensure large scale seed multiplication and distribution of demanded recently released varieties

-Identification of 1-2 additional heat and drought tolerant potato varieties with high commercial potential
Project news (monthly )
Seed for new varieties; Nyota Chulu, Wanjiku, Konjo, Lenana and Unica is being multiplied at Kisima farm in Meru, FreshCrop Ltd in Nyandarua

 
  1. Nutrition Sensitive Potato Partnership Project (NuSePPP)

Area/County of coverage

  • Nyandarua,
  • Elgeyo Marakwet
  • TransNzoia

Period

2019-2021

 

Objectives

To support the NuSePPP project goals by contributing to (A) Agricultural Extension and (B) Seed Availability components.

Implementer(s)

  • GIZ,
  • CIP,
  • KALRO,
  • NPCK,
  • Implementing Counties

Funding partners

GIZ

Project Activities

–Demonstration of innovations through CIP innovation sites

 

-Training on cutting technology in FFBS

-Capacity Development of seed multiplier(s)
  1. Accelerated Value Chain Development (AVCD)

Area/County of coverage

  • Bungoma,
  • Taita
  • Taveta

Period

2019-2021

 

Objective

Scale out interventions from phase 1 to two additional counties to transform 20,000 farmers to profitably engage in the potato value chain resulting in improved income and nutrition. In pursuit of this goal, the potato component will continue to enhance the capacity of county governments to plan and support a sustainable potato sector with thriving seed, production and market systems.

Implementer(s)

  • CIP,
  • County Governments of Bungoma and Taita Taveta,
  • private sector,
  • NPCK

Funding Partner

  • Feed the Future Kenya, USAID

Project Activities

–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 organisations to engage in marketing and value addition, and provide other necessary services

 

Link to other details/read more

Videos:

 

Fabian- youth potato farmer

From small-scale farmer to commercial seed potato producer: Cecinta’s story

Agri-nutrition messaging by Community Health Volunteer

Sammy Sugut: seed potato business

 

Documents

AVCD Brief_Phase 2_FtF USAID

 Potato basic growing instructions – English

 Potato hilling brochure

Potato pests and diseases manual

 Potato storage guide
  1. Technical backstopping within the potato working group in seven SEWOH partner countries

 Area/County of coverage

National level interventions

Period

2019-2021

Objective

provision of technical backstopping and policy advice within the potato working group in the seven SEWOH partner countries: India, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya, and Uganda

Implementer(s)

  • CIP,
  • GIZ

Funding partners

  • GIZ

Project Activities

The main objective of the project is the technical backstopping within the potato working group in the seven SEWOH partner countries India, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya and Uganda. The requested grant is for a period of one year, however with the option of annual extension up to 2021.

Project News/Achievements

Project just started and preparations for Green Innovation Stakeholder workshop to identify the interventions