Under the KSPI, NPCK, in partnership with Egerton University, successfully trained 59 Village-Based Advisors (VBAs) in Meru County, one of the project’s Counties, from June 18th to 20th, 2025, at Kaguru ATC in Nkubu. This training aimed to enhance extension services and improve smallholder farmers’ access to technologies, markets, and agribusiness opportunities in the potato value chain.

The VBAs were equipped with knowledge on sustainable potato production, climate-smart technologies, and farm planning under contract farming models. They were also trained on collective marketing strategies to help farmers aggregate produce for better prices and market leverage.

A key component of the training was the introduction of the Viazi Soko digital platform, which connects farmers directly with inputs and service providers. VBAs learned to support farmers in registering on the platform, aggregating the inputs and ware potatoes, and accessing weather and price information to make informed decisions, Soil sampling, and spray service provision.

By building the capacity of local advisors, the KSPI project is creating a scalable model for enhancing farmer support, thereby improving productivity, resilience, and profitability in Kenya’s potato sector.

A photo of an interactive section captured during the VBAs training.