Seed potato production faces several challenges that affect the availability and accessibility of seed potatoes, thereby restricting the sector from reaching its full potential. The national potato yield average is 8–12 t/ha. This is only about half of the full potential, primarily due to limited access to quality and certified seed, which currently stands at less than 10%, along with other constraints. In Kenya, despite having a relatively advanced seed system, the sector still struggles to meet the growing demand, thus, the need to strengthen seed production and accessibility is essential for improving potato productivity.

To ensure sustainability and growth in the seed potato industry, there is a need to have a clearly defined roadmap to guide the development of seed potatoes in Kenya. In response to this need, CIP held a seed roadmap workshop in consultation with NPCK, KEPHIS, KALRO, and FreshCrop.  The roadmap will be adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture to guide the initiatives and strategies aimed at expanding the seed industry for a period of five years.

The roadmap covering 2025 to 2030 outlines strategies for expanding seed production and offers targeted solutions to address existing seed system challenges. The successful implementation of this plan will significantly enhance the industry’s seed system. A key priority outlined in the roadmap is to ensure that smallholder farmers have reliable and equitable access to quality seed potatoes. It also emphasizes developing a robust seed system that extends beyond quality-assured production. It requires strategic planning to ensure economic viability, particularly in managing the number of multiplications and securing sufficient land for rotation.

Participants of the seed roadmap development committee