Tigoni, Kiambu, April 24th 2025, by Miriam Wangui.
The Centre Director of the KALRO Potato Research Centre in Tigoni, Dr. Moses Nyongesa, recently hosted a delegation from TEAGASC Oak Park Crops Research Centre, Ireland for a two-day visit focused on advancing potato breeding under a collaborative project on Climate-Resilient and Responsible Innovations in Potato.
The delegation led by Research Officers Dr. Dan Milbourne and Dr. Denis Griffin began their visit with a field evaluation of over 500 potato lines developed under the project, led by Dr. Susan Otieno, project’s lead potato breeder.
On the second day, a joint evaluation session brought together key stakeholders from across the potato value chain, including the State Department for Agriculture (MOALD-SDA), International Potato Centre (CIP), University of Nairobi – Faculty of Agriculture, among others. The stakeholders provided valuable feedback to guide the selection and advancement of promising lines from the breeding effort.
Stakeholders present to provide selection feedback / Photo courtesy of Miriam Wangui
Through this collaboration, KALRO Tigoni has developed early-stage potato varieties with desirable traits such as mid-dormancy and improved processing qualities which is critical for Kenya’s growing processed food industry. These varieties are currently in the preliminary hill trial stage and will soon advance to the next phase, where they will be screened for resistance to viral and bacterial diseases. The most resilient varieties will then proceed to on-farm trials in key potato-growing counties such as Nyandarua and Nakuru.
Potato processing in Kenya is undergoing rapid growth, driven by urbanization and rising demand for processed foods like chips and crisps. The breeding efforts at KALRO Tigoni aim to support this demand while addressing persistent challenges in the sector, including poor-quality seed and pest and disease pressures
The partnership between KALRO and TEAGASC underscores the importance of international collaboration in agricultural innovation, particularly in the face of climate change and growing food demands.
