Kenya is seeking to increase private investment in commercial farming, irrigation and potato processing to reduce reliance on imports that currently meet 60% of domestic demand.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the Land Commercialisation Initiative, which will lease idle public land to private investors on a long‑term basis for agricultural production.

Kagwe made the announcement during the inaugural World Potato Congress in Sub‑Saharan Africa, a five‑day event in Kenya that runs from 26 to 30 October and has drawn about 1,000 delegates from 67 countries.

The initiative aims to unlock land for commercial farming while encouraging investment in irrigation, technology and value‑addition to strengthen the potato value chain.

Kagwe highlighted that the scheme will help substitute imported potatoes, retain earnings domestically, create jobs and improve farmers’ incomes and productivity.

The push comes as recent production data show a decline from 2.3 million tonnes in 2023 to about 2.2 million tonnes in 2024, partly due to weather‑related fungal diseases such as late blight.

To address these challenges, the government is prioritising access to quality seed, disease management, climate‑smart farming and reduced post‑harvest losses.

Research partners KALRO and the International Potato Centre have developed a biotech potato based on the Shangi variety that shows complete resistance to late blight in field trials.

Another promising line, Clone IG‑70, is being verified for drought and blight tolerance, adding to the portfolio of improved varieties for commercial growers.

The broader agricultural strategy includes a massive irrigation programme involving 50 mega dams, 200 medium‑sized dams and 1,000 water pans and reservoirs to lessen dependence on rainfall.