Financial inclusion is essential for strengthening potato value chain by offering farmers, traders, and processors crucial access to credit, insurance, and digital payment solutions. This access is vital for enabling stakeholders to invest in quality inputs, adopt modern farming techniques, and improve post-harvest management. However, limited financial access remains a significant barrier for smallholder farmers, restricting their ability to scale their operations and increase productivity.

In response, the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), through the Kenya Sustainable Potato Initiative (KSPI) by AGRA, is partnering with financial institutions to improve inclusivity across the value chain. A key strategy in this effort is contract farming, which provides farmers with stable markets, predictable income, and technical support. These benefits help farmers build creditworthiness, unlocking access to essential financial services such as loans and insurance.

By integrating these financial services into the potato value chain, NPCK and its partners are not only enhancing productivity but also reducing losses and increasing farmers’ incomes. This collaboration empowers farmers to adopt better practices, meet market demands, and secure the financial stability needed for growth. Ultimately, these efforts are transforming Kenya’s potato industry, creating a more sustainable and competitive sector that benefits all stakeholders involved.

A moment captured after productive discussions with Tower SACCO, a key financial institution we are exploring  partnership with in the KSPI project.