International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No.14, 115-123
115
Research Article
Open Access
Climatic Change, Its Likely Impact on Potato (
Solanum tuberosum
L.)
Production in Kenya and Plausible Coping Measures
Muthoni J.
1
, D.O. Nyamongo
2
, and M. Mbiyu
3
1 Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Horticulture Research Institute (KALRO)-Tigoni, P.O Box 338 Limuru 00217, Kenya
2 Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Genetic Resources Research Institute, P. O. Box 30148 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
3 Agricultural Development Corporation, P.O. Box 366 Molo, Kenya
Corresponding email:
International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No.14 doi:
Received: 01 Jun., 2017
Accepted: 10 Jun., 2017
Published: 06 Jul., 2017
Copyright
©2017 Muthoni et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article
:
Muthoni J., Nyamongo D.O., and Mbiyu M., 2017, Climatic change, its likely impact on potato (
Solanum tuberosum
L.) production in Kenya and plausible
coping measures, International Journal of Horticulture, 7(14): 115-123 (doi
Abstract
Potato is a cool season crop and plays an important role in Kenya’s economy. The crop is mostly grown under rain-fed
conditions. However, most parts of Kenya are warming up in line with global trends and, information on how climate change will
impact on potato production is presently lacking. An analysis of the literature in this area shows that changes in climate will lead to
shifts in areas suitable for potato production, reduced yields and poorer quality of tubers for processing while demand for potato
irrigation is also expected to increase. Distribution of pests (e.g. aphids, potato tuber moth and leaf miners) and diseases (e.g. late
blight, bacterial wilt and viruses) are expected to increase since high temperatures allow more cycles of multiplication leading to
greater pressure of pests and diseases. Seed potato produced under high vector pressure may degenerate fast due to viral infections.
To remain competitive, the potato industry needs to embrace innovative strategies in adapting to climate change. New varieties
adapted to extreme weather conditions (heat and drought tolerant) and possessing other desirable traits such as short dormancy, early
maturity, pest resistance and/or tolerance will need to be developed. Investments will be required in irrigation infrastructure and in
improved storage for both seed and ware potatoes since higher temperatures will most likely make it difficult to keep both seed and
ware potatoes from season to season. Agronomic technologies that conserve soil moisture and lower soil temperatures will need to
be adopted.
Keywords
Climate change; Potato production; Kenya
1 Introduction
Agriculture is an important sector in the Kenyan economy, contributing about 26% to the GDP (Gitau et al.,
2009). More than 1/3 of Kenya’s agricultural produce s exported and this accounts for 65% of Kenya’s total
exports (GOK, 2007). About 80% of Kenyans work in the agricultural sector; most of whom are small scale
subsistence farmers that depend on rainfall for production of their staple foods (ANN, 2009; Gitau et al., 2009).
Kenya has seven agro-climatic zones, with only 12% of the land being suitable for rain-fed arable farming; the
rest (88%) is semi arid, arid, and very arid and therefore unsuitable for arable farming (Figure 1; Table 1).
The high potential land for cultivation in Kenya is mainly concentrated in highlands on both sides of Rift valley
and the former Central and Eastern provinces (Downing, 1992). The low potential areas are mainly constrained
by lack of water (Downing, 1992). According to Kassam et al. (1991) growing seasons in Kenya are defined as
the period during which rain exceeds 50% of potential of evapo-transpiration.
2 Potato Production in Kenya
Among the staple food crops, maize is the most important followed by potatoes in terms of volumes produced
and consumption in Kenya (ANN, 2009). Potato is grown by about 800,000 farmers cultivating about 161, 000
hectares per season with an annual production of about 3 million tonnes in two growing seasons ( Lutaladio et al.,
1995; GTZ-PSDA, 2011; MoALF, 2016). The annual potato crop is valued at KSh. 50 billion (USD 500 million)
at farm gate prices (GTZ-PSDA, 2011; MoALF, 2016). Beyond the farm, the industry employs about 3.3 million
