Integrated strategies and training to improve potato production in Sub-Saharan Africa

The potato is a critical crop for food security and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa, and production in the region is severely limited by disease, climate and availability of healthy planting material. In Kenya there are 800,000 potato farmers and more than 2,500,000 people employed in the potato value chain. Malawi is one of the biggest potato-producing countries in the region, and 70% of the crop is produced from only 2 varieties. Torrance, Jones and colleagues’ research on stress biology and disease diagnostics has enabled the provision of advanced germplasm, commercial UK varieties and training to address these challenges. They have (a) introduced 12 new stress-tolerant, climate-resilient strains of potatoes and six established UK commercial varieties to Kenya and Malawi, (b) improved inspection and standards for disease-free and pathogen-resistant stock, (c) expanded the production to non-traditional potato growing areas. This work has supported the strategies of the Governments of Kenya and Malawi to boost potato yields to achieve food security, poverty reduction and economic growth.