Dutch potato breeder Solynta and Kenyan seed producer Freshcrop Limited will work together to develop a hybrid potato in Kenya. Their goal is to end the shortage of clean raw materials in the region.
According to Freshcrop’s Chris Gasperi, demand for clean raw materials is growing in the Kenyan market. “Existing diseases reduce yields and affect the quality of potatoes. This negatively affects the standard of living of potato growers.”
By linking Solynta’s seed technology with Freshcrop’s distribution network, the parties hope to make the Kenyan potato network more efficient, sustainable and resilient.
According to the parties, cooperation will also have a positive impact on the overall value chain of the Kenyan potato. “With the steady flow of new and improved genetics from Solynta at the start of the value chain, we are no longer dependent solely on existing potato genetics. In doing so, we maintain access to new resistant varieties,” Gasperi points out in a press release.
