East Africa Potato Value Chain Knowledge Sharing Portal
One of the main factors hindering the development of the potato value chain in Eastern Africa is the lack of trust and communication between value chain actors, and of opportunities for the different actors to come together to analyse shared constraints and innovations. At the same time, the potato sector in this region is not well organised: producers, transporters, marketers, wholesalers and retailers are fragmented and tend not to co-operate, which leads to price instability and an isolation of the sector from regional and international markets. Furthermore, the current inferior quality of local production makes it difficult to meet the quality standards required by the potato processing industry.
This site addresses the scientific and technological divide in the field of agricultural value-chain innovations by enabling East African research organisations to create, update and use scientific knowledge and technological innovations. The capacities in scientific research and innovative technologies and practices to improve the product quality along the potato value chain in Eastern Africa (Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) will be enhanced. Given the importance of the potato for socio-economic development and food security, strengthening the capacities of research and innovative technologies along the potato value chain will foster the contribution of agricultural science, technology and innovation (ASTI) to the eradication of poverty and the promotion of economic growth and inclusiveness.
Who is behind?
This site has been developed by the project “Strengthening the capacities for fostering innovation along potato value chains in East Africa”, awarded a grant by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States under the ACP-EU Science and Technology Programme II (S&T II), which is co-financed by the European Commission. More information about the project can be found on
http://www.spiritacp.com
The project aims to strengthen the capacities in scientific research and innovative technologies and practices to enhance the product quality along the potato value chain in Eastern Africa (Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania). It addresses the scientific and technological divide in the field of agricultural value-chain innovations by developing physical and virtual platforms to enable East African research organisations to create, update and use scientific knowledge and technological innovations. Given the importance of the potato for socioeconomic development and food security, strengthening the capacities of research and innovative technologies along the potato value chain will foster the contribution of agricultural science, technology and innovation (ASTI) to the eradication of poverty and the promotion of economic growth and inclusiveness.
The action is being implemented by INKOA SISTEMAS
, S.L. (INKOA, Spain, Coordinator), Agricultural Research Institute – Uyole (ARI-Uyole, Tanzania, partner), College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM, Rwanda, partner), Makerere University (MAK, Uganda, partner), University of Nairobi (UoN, Kenya, partner) and NEIKER A.B. – Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario (NEIKER, Spain, partner).
East Africa Potato Research and Knowledge Exchange Forum and its members
The East Africa Potato Research and Knowledge Exchange Forum has been created to promote the cooperation through technology and the mutual exchange of information and experiences between its members to strengthen their scientific and technological knowledge on innovative technologies and practices on questions related to quality along potato value chain in East Africa. It was created on the 18th November 2015 in Derio (Bizkaia), Spain.
The entities taking part in the Forum are the members of the project and other research and technological development related entities from Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania with a relevant role on the potato sector in East Africa.
These entities will share scientific information about the production of potato through this site to promote the implementation of innovations and technologies in the value chain to all the people registered in this site.