Celebrating the International Day of the Potato: NPCK Leads the Way in Kenya

The National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK) successfully hosted a two-day celebration to mark the International Day of Potato (IDP), drawing together more than 3,000 participants from across the potato value chain.

On May 29-30, 2025, Kenya proudly joined the rest of the world in marking the first-ever International Day of the Potato (IDP), with celebrations led by the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK). The event was held at KALRO Marindas, Molo, Nakuru County. The events highlighted youth innovation, policy commitment, stakeholder collaboration, and sector-wide transformation in Kenya’s potato industry, bringing together thousands of stakeholders, including farmers, researchers, traders, processors, policymakers, and development partners.

The celebrations kicked off on 29th May with the Youth in Potato Challenge, held under the theme “Empowering Generations: Youth Innovations, Sustainability in Potato Farming.” The event provided a vibrant platform for young people to showcase their creativity, exchange ideas, and gain inspiration from successful agripreneurs. A key highlight was the pitching of eight youth-led innovative ideas spanning seed potato solutions, digital technologies, market linkages, and value addition. Out of these, three outstanding innovations stood out: G9 Exterminator, Mizizi Lishe, and Beacon Potato, earning trophies, gift packages, and a unique opportunity to pitch their solutions at the World Potato Congress 2026 in Kenya. The event also featured exciting showcases by the 4K Club, who presented activities that engage primary and secondary school learners in agriculture, demonstrating the importance of nurturing agri-entrepreneurship from a young age.

The main International Day of Potato commemoration followed on 30th May where key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, research institutions, farmer organizations, and development partners convened. The day was marked by the official relaunch of the Irish Potato Regulations 2019, led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in collaboration with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), NPCK, and Solidaridad. The relaunch represents a renewed commitment to enhancing awareness, promoting adoption, and strengthening enforcement of the regulations, all aimed at creating a structured, sustainable, and resilient potato industry in Kenya. Participants also engaged in an enlightening panel discussion on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), access to quality inputs, and financing options, with rich insights shared on how to unlock productivity and economic value for smallholder farmers. Remarks from AGRA underscored the progress of the Kenya Sustainable Potato Initiative (KSPI) and its alignment with broader National goals to scale up innovation, inclusivity, and impact within the potato sector. As declared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Day of the Potato is celebrated globally each year on May 30. The 2025 theme, “Shaping History, Feeding the Future,” reflects the vital role of potatoes in global food security, nutrition, and economic development. NPCK celebrates this milestone and invites all stakeholders to continue collaborating in shaping a future where potatoes power prosperity, innovation, and resilience in Kenya and beyond.

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Theme: Shaping History, Feeding the Future

The International Day of the Potato, established  to recognize the crop’s vital role in global food security, was celebrated under the fitting theme: “Shaping history, feeding the future.” This highlighted the potato’s contribution to nutrition, food systems resilience, and economic empowerment — especially in Kenya, where potato is the second most important food crop after maize.

A Unique Blend: IDP + National Potato Conference & Trade Fair

NPCK combined the global observance with the National Potato Conference and Trade Fair 2025, creating a vibrant platform for:

• Showcasing innovations: From improved potato seed varieties, climate-smart agronomy practices, and modern storage solutions to digital platforms supporting farmer-market linkages.

• Exhibitions: Over 60 exhibitors displayed products, services, and technologies targeting all segments of the potato value chain.

• Expert panel discussions and knowledge-sharing forums on topics such as sustainable production, pest and disease management (notably combating bacterial wilt and late blight), youth engagement, and the future of potato processing in Kenya.

• Networking sessions that connected farmers with input suppliers, processors, exporters, and policymakers to unlock growth opportunities.

Policy Milestone: Relaunch of Irish Potato Regulations 2019

A key highlight of the event was the official relaunch of the Irish Potato Regulations 2019 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. The regulations aim to streamline potato production, marketing, packaging, and transportation — with the goal of reducing post-harvest losses, ensuring fair trade practices, and improving farmer incomes.

Youth & Women in Focus

May 29 was dedicated as Youth Day, with special programs designed to inspire young people to take up potato farming and value-addition as a business. Women groups also played a prominent role, showcasing processed potato products and success stories in agribusiness.

Why It Matters

The International Day of the Potato served as a wake-up call to intensify efforts towards making the potato sector more competitive, sustainable, and inclusive. With over 800,000 farmers growing potatoes across 21 counties, the crop directly supports over 2.5 million Kenyans through farming, trade, processing, and related services.

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👉 The NPCK and its partners envision a future where the potato continues to transform livelihoods and ensure food security in Kenya and beyond.