The International Day of Potato, a key annual event in the potato industry organized by NPCK and stakeholders, held on 30th May at KALRO Marindas, Nakuru, highlighted the resilience and global significance of the potato in sustaining livelihoods, under the theme ‘Shaping History, Feeding Future’. The event showcased the crop’s vital role in food security and nutrition, and provided an opportunity to examine policy opportunities for enhanced growth.
One of the main objective during the event was to relaunch the implementation of the Crops Irish Potato Regulations 2019. The Crops (Irish Potato) Regulations 2019, gazetted in April 2019 were meant to create a supportive policy and regulatory framework aimed at addressing key challenges within the potato subsector, guiding the promotion, development and regulation of the production and trade of Irish potato. However, implementation has not been a success so far, hence the call for a relaunch. The re-launch was themed- Enhancing the adoption of potato regulations for a sustainable and resilient potato industry
In his declaration statement, Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh Paul, CBS, Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture, affirmed his commitment to supporting the implementation of the regulations. He also mandated the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to take the lead in planning and strategizing the implementation of the regulations across the 28 counties. Furthermore, he emphasized the need to take action against individuals violating the regulations and reaffirmed that the marketing of ware potatoes must be conducted based on weight in kilograms, not by the bag. The statement partly read, ‘Finally, as I join you shortly in the relaunch of the Crops (Irish Potato) Regulations 2019, I wish to reaffirm our commitment as a Ministry to support the entire potato value chain from seed to market. Together, we can indeed shape history and feed the future. We are relaunching the Crops (Irish Potato) Regulations 2019, which aim to ensure a structured, sustainable, and resilient potato sub-sector’.
The regulations once fully implemented will have the following benefits to the farmers and actors; protect farmers from over-exploitation by middlemen, hence ensuring profit to farmer, ensure a well-structured and organized marketing system, farmers will be able to organize and plan themselves and register as either a growers association or collection centers hence more bargaining power when sourcing for input and marketing ware potato, ensures retained quality and lengthened storage life of the potato when a farmer uses good and recommended packaging material as stipulated in the regulation, with Importation regulated, our farmers and traders will have more opportunity for increased income.
The PS and stakeholders during the regulations Re-launch
Daily Magazine update on regulations Re-launch
