Seed potato systems in East Africa are described and opportunities for improvement identified on the basis of interviews with potato producers in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia, and an assessment of Ralstonia solanacearum and virus disease levels in Kenya. 3% of seed potato sold in Kenyan markets was virus free. Ralstonia solanacearum was found in 74% of potato farms. Less than 5% of the farmers interviewed source seed potato from specialized seed growers. Over 50% rely entirely on farm-saved seed. Current seed potato prices justify this behavior. To improve the system the local and specialized chain need to be tackled simultaneously. To improve the local chain ware potato farmers require training on seed quality maintenance and managing bacterial wilt and viruses. Research into virus resistance and the effect of mixed virus infection on yield deserves attention. Private investment in seed potato production could increase volumes produced and reduce prices.Resumen Se describen sistemas de semillas de papa en África del Este y se identifican oportunidades de mejora basándose en entrevistas con productores de papas en Kenia, Uganda y Etiopía y una evaluación de los niveles de las enfermedades causadas por Ralstonia solanacearum y virus en Kenia. El 3% de la semilla de papa vendido en los mercados de Kenia estaba libre de virus. Se encontró Ralstonia solanacearum en 74% de las explotaciones agrarias de papa. Menos del 5% de los agricultores entrevistados obtienen semillas de papa de agricultores especializados en semillas. Más del 50% dependen totalmente de las semillas almacenadas en la explotación agraria. Los precios actuales de semilla de papa justifican este comportamiento. Para mejorar el sistema, se debe abordar simultáneamente tanto la cadena local y la especializada. Para mejorar la cadena local, los agricultores de papa para consumo humano necesitan capacitación sobre el mantenimiento de la calidad de la semilla y manejo de la marchités bacteriana y virus. La investigación sobre resistencia a los virus y el efecto de la infección de mezcla de virus sobre el rendimiento merece atención. La inversión privada en la producción de semilla de papa podría aumentar los volúmenes de producción y reducir los precios.

Increased productivity of potatoes can improve the livelihood of smallholder potato farmers in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia and is required to meet the growing demand. This paper investigates the opportunities for potato system improvement that could result in improved productivity. Through a diagnosis of the potato systems in the three countries on the basis of surveys and stakeholder workshops, seed potato quality management, bacterial wilt control, late blight control and soil fertility management were identified as key technical intervention topics. For effective problem solving in these areas, the functioning of the potato innovation system requires improvement to better deliver the functions of potato marketing as well as knowledge development and information exchange. With use of a 'system failure framework' the shortcomings of the potato innovation system are identified and discussed and options for improvement are suggested.

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Potato yields of small-scale farmers in the region fall far short of their potential, mostly due to a potent combination of inadequate supplies of high quality seed and limited awareness of better seed and crop management practices. Consequently, potato yields in sub-Saharan Africa are dismally low at 6-10 t/ha. To increase the availability of high-grade potato seed, the International Potato Center and its national partners have developed components of an innovative seed strategy, the '3 seed potato generation revolution' (3G - a seed production model), which drastically lowers the cost of production of pre-basic or 'starter' seed coupled with extension-based interventions to train smallholders to better manage their own seed on farm. Using rapid multiplication techniques (RMT), such as aeroponics or sandponics, to produce minitubers from in vitro plantlets, seed can be bulked in two subsequent field generations to the same quantities that under conventional practices require four to six generations. This reduces the cost of production and prevents build-up of damaging diseases in the field. Greater involvement by the private sector in seed potato value chains offers a means to overcome the supply bottleneck that is limiting the provision of quality seed. A more efficient and responsive seed system will improve production, distribution, use and profitability for farmers. Promising RMT and an engaged private sector can provide needed capacity to broaden adoption of quality seed and accelerate availability of new varieties with greater prospect of added value. Better integration of national agricultural research and extension systems into the value chain, as well as farmer training schemes in seed management and storage, can accelerate innovation. A regional perspective can help exploit economies of scale for sharing knowledge and technology, implement creative applications of information communication technologies, advocate for farmer-friendly, seed-related regulations and policies, improve the business-enabling environment, and expand intra-regional trade for seed of the highest categories. Recent and ongoing interventions reveal that wide-scale adoption of these technologies, as well as improving capacities to maximize their investment in quality seed, will enable farmers to secure seed supplies and to put the entire seed supply chain onto a more sustainable path for the future. This chapter gives an overview and comparative analysis of costs and benefits from experiences from seed interventions from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda over the past 5 years.

Farmers in southern zone of Tigray are using different spacing below or above the national recommendation depending on the purpose of planting either for seed tuber or consumption due to lack of recommended plant spacing. This study was therefore conducted with the objective of determining the best inter and intra-row spacing for optimum tuber seed yield and quality of potato seed tuber at Ofla Wereda, Northern Ethiopia. Four different intra-row (20, 25, 30 and 35 cm) and inter-row (65, 70, 75 and 80 cm) spacing were used in the experiment. The result reveals that inter and intra-row spacing significantly (p<0.001) affected seed tuber yield ha-1 , the maximum seed tuber yield (36.89 and 37.54 ton ha-1) was recorded at 65 and 20 cm inter and intra-row spacing, respectively. From this study, it can be concluded that the narrow spacing (20 and 65 cm intra and inter-row spacing) produced higher seed tuber yield per hectare than other spacings. Thus, potato (Jalenie variety) growers in the study area can benefit if they use this narrow spacing (20 and 65 cm intra and inter-row spacing).