Liaison, Partnership and Communications (LPC)
The department is responsible for information sharing, communication and partnership. It also tasked with public relations and image branding through promotional and marketing programmes. It is through this department that all NPCK projects, programmes and activities are promoted and publicized.
Membership Recruitment
Membership recruitment represents all stakeholders and actors in the industry who include: Farmers, Researchers (National and international), Public institutions, Extension providers, seed producers, Traders, Processors, Regulatory agencies, Financial service providers, input providers, Ministry of Agriculture for National and County governments, Development partners other actors and players. NPCK has 43 members which has four categories; Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze that allows engagement, services and benefits at different levels and membership is currently ongoing.
Partners Platform
The council has a Partners Potato Platform which has three levels: local National and international which rises to solve problems of different types and magnitude. It is driven by common intent to promote development of the potato value chain for the benefit of all players. The potato platform consists of 21 partners from different organizations which has two working group: core group and sub groups where the LPC department helps in capacity building and drive the platforms agenda.
Other Activities
Among many other activities and publications, the department has been able to publish and distribute a total of over 27,000 Potato variety Catalogues in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 about 3,500 potato magazines in 2016 and 2018, Convened the National Potato conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019,2021 and 2022 and four County potato trade fairs in Nyandarua, Nakuru, Nyeri and Eldoret.
ICT
The ICT unit operates under this department and is in charge of communication channels, soft wares, website, platforms, and Apps that ensures NPCK delivers its mandate effectively. Among the innovation currently championed by the ICT unit is the Viazi Soko platform with a web based sms software that enables farmers to get seed potato information and market their Potatoes by use of mobile phones. Currently we are able to reach over 80,000 farmers and the number is increasing daily. Through the platform famers get Potato related advisory messages that help them in improving potato production. The seed producers on the other hand get market for their seeds while market outlets can order high quality ware Potatoes. Learn more details from viazisoko.com
The unit also consolidates and avail information on partners activities on Potato value chain, disseminate regular advisory messages through the bulk SMS service, and monthly E-newsletter that currently reaches over 1,900 subscribers.