Kampala, Uganda – May 26, 2025
The National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK) and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) have formalized their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reinforcing their shared commitment to enhance the performance and sustainability of the potato value chain in the region.

The MoU was signed during the 13th Triennial African Potato Association (APA) Conference at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda. The signing took place during a key Policy Dialogue session focused on reviewing the implementation of the East African Community Regional Seed Potato Strategy and Action Plan.

NPCK Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wachira Kaguongo, signed on behalf of NPCK, while Dr. Sylvester Dickson Baguma, Interim Executive Director, represented ASARECA. The event was attended by a wide range of stakeholders including policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and private sector representatives from across the continent.

ASARECA Interim Executive Director, Dr. Sylvester Dickson Baguma & NPCK Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wachira Kaguongo.

Key Areas of Collaboration

The MoU outlines several areas of strategic collaboration between NPCK and ASARECA, including:

1. Promotion of Digital Platforms

A significant focus of the partnership is to scale the use of NPCK’s digital platform, Viazi Soko. Originally developed with support from ASARECA and partners, the platform connects farmers with input providers and markets, particularly targeting the potato processing industry. The two institutions will work together to onboard more farmers, monitor usage of the platform, and document its impact on access to markets, quality inputs, weather forecasts, and e-extension services.

2. Joint Research and Capacity Building

The MoU further establishes a framework for joint research and training initiatives. These include:

• On-farm trials and demonstration plots

• Joint grant proposal writing

• Farmer Field Days focused on digital literacy, good agronomic practices, contract farming, group dynamics, and other value chain support services

This collaboration is designed to strengthen farmers’ capacity and drive the adoption of climate-resilient and commercially viable farming practices.

Ongoing and Past Collaborations

NPCK and ASARECA have already enjoyed a productive working relationship, most recently through:

Dissemination of Rooted Apical Cuttings (RAC)

In collaboration with Farm Inputs Promotions Africa (FiPs-Africa), KALRO, and Egerton University, ASARECA and NPCK have promoted the use of Rooted Apical Cuttings technology to support the multiplication of farmer-preferred potato varieties. Under this initiative, ASARECA supplied:

• 26,000 rooted cuttings of varieties such as Shangi, Unica, and Wanjiku

• 200 kgs of fertilizer and assorted pesticides
  This intervention reached farmers in Marioshoni (Nakuru County) and Murungaru (Nyandarua County), under the CAADP-XP4 Programme financed by the European Union through the DeSIRA initiative and managed by IFAD.

Climate-Smart Agriculture through AICCRA

Earlier in 2025, ASARECA supported innovation platforms in Kenya to scale out Climate-Smart Agriculture practices, with technical support from NPCK. This work was funded by the World Bank under the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project and executed in collaboration with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.

About the Partners

NPCK is a Public-Private Partnership organization uniting multiple stakeholders across the potato value chain. The Council’s mission is to organize and coordinate industry actors to transform the sector into a robust, competitive, and sustainable industry.

ASARECA is a sub-regional, intergovernmental organization of 15 countries in Eastern and Central Africa. It plays a critical role in coordinating agricultural research, innovations, and partnerships to address common regional agricultural challenges.

This renewed partnership marks a significant step forward in building a stronger, digitally connected, and climate-resilient potato sector in Kenya and the wider region.