1. A paradigm shift in potato and
sweetpotato research adopting the
agricultural products value chain
(APVC) approach in Kenya
L. Wasilwa, J. A. W. Ochieng, C. Lung’aho, M. Nyongesa,
P. J. Ndolo, V. Kirigua and S. P. Omondi
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

2. Setting the stage: What are
the key issues to consider?

3. Current Prediction for
2050
Prediction for
2020
Source: GIS-Unit
CIAT, June 2009
Climate
change
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

4. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
Percentage of urban population in Kenya by
2030

5. Production: The yield gap
-1
)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Banana Papaya Mango
Reseacher Farmer (A) Farmer (B)
Yield(tha)
Potential
yield
Actual
yield
Yield
gap
Biophysical
limitations
- Soil fertility
- Water
- Variety, etc
Socio economic and
policy limitations
- Knowledge
- Credit availability
- Inputs
- Markets
Which inputs are lacking?
Why inputs are not used?
Source – Africa Soils Net, 2009
Experimentation
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

6. Harvesting and consistent
delivery of quality, safe and
nutritious products from
FIELD TO PLATE
Field production
Consumption
Pre-postharvest
Narrowing the GAP of postharvest
losses
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

7. Stakeholder involvement: Progression
of research and feedback loops
Basi
c
Strategi
c
Applie
d
Applie
d
Adaptive
Intensityofstakeholderparticipation
Time
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

8. Change of KARI modus operandi
Change from “pushing of commodity” to
“market responsive products”
Production to satisfy the needs and
preferences of the consumer
Position KARI strategically to be a key driver
for increasing productivity,
commercialization and competitiveness
Develop technologies and innovations for
demand-driven product value chains
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

9. Agriculture Product Value Chains:
The re-orientation challenge
The production orientation: The exploitation of
Bio-physical capabilities
Market (or Selling) orientation: Processes of
promoting the consumption of a product that the
system is able to produce
Marketing orientation: Identifying wants and
needs of potential customers, (opportunities) and
matching these to potential to do business
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

10. Vision 2030 – getting Kenya
into a middle income
economy where
industrialization plays a key
role
Develop technologies that fit
within the industrialization
portfolio e.g. potato or
sweetpotato products
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org
Shift from production to marketing
orientation approach

11. So how is
this done?

12. 1. Review and analysis of the Agricultural Sector sub-sectors
4. Analyzing
priority APVC
3. Prioritization of
selected
potential APVC
5. Formulating
priority APVC
upgrading
strategy
6. APVC upgrading
project proposal
development
7. APVC
upgrading
project proposal
review and
approval
8. Upgrading
project
proposal
management
and reporting
2. Identification and
selection of potential
APVC
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org
Public steps (Programme Coordinators)
Stakeholder workshops (Programme Officers)
Actors e.g. NPCK, HCDA, KENAPOFA,
Kirinyaga Millers, KACE, Supermarkets

13. 1. Review and analysis of potato
and sweetpotato sub-sectors
Role of roots and tuber crops
Conducted situational analysis and
reviewed development objectives
Characterized production systems in
various ecozones
Prioritization of value chains in sub-sectors
Analysis of higher level broad sub-sectors
challenges, opportunities and
interventions
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

14. 2. Identification and selection of
potential APVC
3. Prioritization of selected
potential APVCs

15. Weighting criteria for Agricultural
Product Value Chains (APVC)
Competitiveness potential (25)
Impact potential (20)
Contribution to agricultural GDP (15)
Opportunities for intervention (15)
Contribution to quality of environment (15)
Social welfare (10)
Potential APVCs were selected based
on an agreed criteria
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

16. Criteria Weight Sub criteria Weight
1.0
Competitiveness
potential
25 1.1 Availability of high market demand,
opportunities for growth and existence of
industry leadership
10
1.2 Potential for increased commercialization, value
addition and product diversification 8
1.3 Potential for competitive advantage in domestic,
regional and global markets 7
2.0
Impact potential
20 2.1 Increased employment creation and income
generation
9
2.2 Potential for effective and sustainable
stakeholder and MSE participation and growth 7
2.3 Potential for effective and sustainable public-
private sectors participation and partnership 4
3.0
Contribution to
Agricultural GDP
15 3.1 Potential for increased production and
productivity
6
3.2 Potential for increasing availability and access to
quality and affordable food
5
3.3 Potential for enhancing livelihoods and pro-poor
economic growth 4

17. 4.0Opportunities
for intervention
15 4.1 Expressed stakeholder’s demand and their
commitment and willingness to collaborate 7
4.2 Existence of challenges and availability of
capacity to address them 4
4.3 Relevance and contribution to national and
regional development objectives 4
5.0Contribution to
quality of
environment
15 5.1 Potential for enhancing sustainable utilization of
natural resources
6
5.2 Potential for improving conservation and
maintenance of biodiversity
5
5.3 Promoting cleaner production and mitigation of
climate change and variability 4
6.0Social Welfare 10 6.1 Potential for improving nutrition and health
particularly among the poor and marginalized
4
6.2 Potential for encouraging gender equity and
equitable distribution of benefits
3
6.3 Capacity to mainstream major cross-cutting
issues
3
Total 100 100
Criteria Weight Sub criteria Weight

18. Root and Tuber crops Rank
Sweetpotato (7.33) 1
Cassava (6.70) 2
Potato (6.68) 3
Arrow root (5.68) 4
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org
Value Chain Priority Setting
Total score out of 10
Input
supply
Technology
generation and
dissemination
Production
Processing
Distribution
Consumption

19. 4. Analyzing priority APVCs

20. Sweetpotato value chain
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

21. Sweetpotato Value Chain Mapping
Transporters
Specificconsumer
markets
Researchers
Storage providers
Seed, cuttings,
ridging
equipment
GAPs, harvesting,
packaging
Transport,
financing
Transportation
Extension providers
(public/private)
KSU, credit
providers
Farmers, traders
middlemen
Farmers
Wholesales
Farmers
Vendors
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org
Provision
of inputs
Production Sale and
Consumption
Trade DistributionTechnology
development
Input providers WholesalerFarmers Traders Retailers

22. Sweetpotato value chain:
Constraints
Low productivity and poor marketing strategies
Low genetic potential in some varieties
Some varieties susceptible to insect (weevils) and
diseases (viruses)
Inadequate access to timely and sufficient quantities
of quality planting materials (vines)
Low volumes for ‘industrial’ processing although
production outstrips consumption, generally
Poorly developed product retail market
Technologies have not reached many beneficiaries
Inadequate articulation between demand and supply
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

23. Sweetpotato value chain:
Opportunities
Virus resistant/tolerant and high yielding
varieties developed by research
Existing technologies on multiplication and
conservation of clean planting materials
Local cottage industries exist for value addition
Initiatives for CIGs (Community Interest
Groups) formation enhancing marketing
Demand growing, with trends in healthy eating
habit: (high local market demand for speciality
trait varieties, e.g. orange fleshed sweetpotato)
Potential markets such as feed industry exist
High economic value (KES 6-9 billion) annually
and high potential to transform economic well-
being of many farmers
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

24. Potato value chain
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

25. Potato Value Chain Map
Technology
promotion
Potato Crop
Production
Potato
Processing
Sale and
Consumption
Transporters (Middlemen / Brokers)
Good Agronomic
Practice, Harvesting,
Ware
Trade
Storage,
Packaging, and
Labeling
[Consumer Markets]
Wholesale & Retail
Kiosks
Researchers (on various Value Chain aspects)
Quality Controllers (KEPHIS)
Processors
DEEPA, Njoro
canner
Wholesalers
Ukulima
market & otherFarmers
Traders
(Internal &
external)
Retailers
Technology
Providers
KARI, CIP
IARCs
Distribution
Crisps,
fresh & frozen chips
Transportation /
Re-packaging
Farm Inputs
provision
Transport
Processing
Fast food chains Other recipes
Ware producer
Farmers
‘Seed Multiplier’ Farmers
Ware Potato’ Farmers
Financing Agencies (GoK, Donors,)
Germplasm acquisition,
variety dev./ testing and
promotion/dissemination
‘Demos’ / Info. on
Varieties & GAPs
Seed, Fertilizers, Soil
analysis, Land Prep.
Equipment, Pesticides
Promoting
Agencies:
PPPs
Input Providers
STAK
Agro-dealers ,ADC,
Germpplasm
provision
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

26. Potato Value Chain: Constraints
Limited innovations
Narrow breeding horizon
Narrow germplasm base
Limited integrated pest and disease
management packages
Limited integrated NRM (natural resource
management) packages
Limited appropriate postharvest technologies
Limited crop management packages
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

27. Potato Value Chain:
Low adoption of innovations and poor
accessibility
Limited adoption of innovations
Inappropriate/weak technology transfer
mechanisms
Poor packaging of extension messages
Limited accessibility and costly inputs
Lack of a robust (viable) seed system
Poor land tenure system
Limited access to credit
High cost /poor quality of farm inputs (fertilizers,
pesticides, etc)
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

28. Potato Value Chain:
Low production and processing
Low production
Inappropriate policy instruments
Limited access to credit
High transaction costs (poor rural access roads)
Limited processing
Inappropriate policy instruments
Bulkiness and perishable nature of potato
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

29. Potato Value Chain:
Undeveloped markets and limited utilization
Undeveloped markets (Distribution)
Inappropriate policy instruments
High transaction costs (poor road network)
Limited utilization of potato and potato
products (Trading)
Poor developed (small and segmented) markets
Poor road network and scattered farms
Limited use of standardized packaging/weighing
High transaction costs (poor road network)
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

30. Development of Innovation
Platforms

31. Bury the
body
Priest
Mourner
s
Progra
m
Food
Flower
s
Mone
y
Tents
Grave
Transport
Coffin
Catering
PA
syste
m
African funeral
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org
Committee

32. Farmer
Input supplierPolicy
maker
Scientist
Industry
Transporter
Standards
body
Networking amongst
value chain actors
Extension
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

33. Different levels of innovation platforms
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

34. 34
Expected Outcomes
Drive agriculture forward
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute www.kari.org

35. THANK YOU