Firms to start potato processing company for nyandarua country

Nyandarua county will benefit from a multimillion-shilling
potato project that will involve large-scale production,
processing and marketing.
The International Potato Center and Deutsche Gesellschaft
Internationale will undertake the project. The two firms
have a similar one in Nigeria.
They will partner with the National Potato Council of Kenya
and other stakeholders to implement the project.
Nyandarua Governor Daniel Waithaka, who met CIP and GIZ
officials at his Ol Kalou office last Friday, said the project is
important in eradicating poverty among farmers.
"Although Nyandarua produces 40 per cent of all potatoes
in Kenya, our farmers have nothing to show for it due to
exploitation by middlemen and other players," he said.
The delegation, which included GIZ representative in Kenya
Jackson Muchoki and his South African counterpart Elmor
Schulte-Geldermann, was with National Potato Council of
Kenya CEO Wachira Kaguongo.
The two firms will collaborate with rural cooperative
societies in financing large-scale production of potatoes by
individual farmers and enter into partnership with small-
scale farmers through cooperative societies.
The venture will involve use of modern farm machinery.
Kaguongo said the firms will seek partnership with
government agencies in identifying suitable potato seeds
and storage of farm machinery to ensure the project
succeeds.
"We have to use modern machinery in the production and
processing of potatoes. We need the suppport of
government agencies such as the National Youth Service in
the acquisition and storage of the machinery," he said.