New plan to revive potato farming

The Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on the revival of potato growing to boost the country’s food security. Among the key priorities are the rehabilitation of cold stores, construction and equipping tissue culture laboratories and green houses.

One such cold house that has been under-utilised for more than 15 years is that owned by Agricultural Development Corporation in Molo. The project that was started in 1985 was co financed by the Kenyan and Dutch governments to multiply clean seed potato materials.

The government has now declared it’s commitment to the revitalisation of the sub-sector to give Kenyans more options in terms of food.

Huge chunk

Speaking during the launch of the tissue culture laboratory in Molo last Friday, Agriculture assistant Minister Kareke Mbiuki said the industry collapsed after a huge chunk of land belonging to the Agricultural Development Corporation was disposed of by the former KANU regime in 1990’s.

The move led to a temporary closure of seed potato project in Molo Town. The State Corporation allegedly lost 39,870 acres. To date only 130 acres have remained for that purpose.

The minister added that it is illogical for the government to give out money to the ADC to buy other land to compensate that which benefited a few individuals.

He said the ADC cold storage facility has been revived after the government put in an additional Sh40 million for multiplication of potato seed.

The minister was accompanied by his environment counterpart Mr Joseph Kiptanui and ADC managing director Mr William Kirwa. “The main constraints facing potato production in the country has been inadequate supply of potato seed to farmers,” he said.

He added that the government has put in place programs for development of Irish potato that include research activities in its quality, potato seed storage and its production to boost its production.