RAC Technology Revolutionizes Potato Farming in Kenya

In Summary

• Rooted Apical Cutting (RAC) technology boosts potato production in Nakuru and Nyandarua.
• Over 100,000 farmers benefit from disease-free, high-yielding potato seeds.
• ASARECA, KALRO, and Egerton University lead the initiative, promoting climate-smart agriculture.
• RAC reduces seed production time by 40% and multiplies seed 10–15 times faster.
• Challenges include scaling adoption and funding for smallholder farmers.
• Potato sector, worth KSh 50 billion, supports 3.8 million Kenyans.

The introduction of Rooted Apical Cutting (RAC) technology is transforming potato farming in Kenya, particularly in Nakuru and Nyandarua counties, where over 100,000 farmers and stakeholders are reaping benefits from high-quality, disease-free potato seeds.

Spearheaded by the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) in partnership with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) and Egerton University, the initiative has scaled up production of market-driven potato varieties, boosting yields and incomes for smallholder farmers.

Dr. Joshua Sikhu-Okonya, ASARECA’s Programme Officer for Agricultural Technology and Innovation, highlighted RAC’s advantages during a seed distribution exercise in Nakuru on August 6, 2025. “RAC produces genetically superior, disease-free cuttings with high survival rates, ensuring quality tubers,” he said.

The technology involves taking cuttings from healthy potato plantlets grown in controlled environments like greenhouses, cultivating them in labs, and transplanting the resulting mini-tubers into fields. This method reduces seed production time by up to 40% and multiplies seed 10–15 times faster than traditional methods, minimizing soil-borne diseases.

The program, active in potato-rich areas like Marishioni ward in Molo and Murungaru in Nyandarua, supports farmers through demonstration plots and cooperative platforms. These plots showcase climate-smart practices, helping farmers adopt varieties suited to local conditions.

“Our goal is to translate this technology into increased incomes and poverty alleviation,” Dr. Okonya added. The potato sector, valued at over KSh 50 billion by the National Potato Council of Kenya, supports 3.8 million people, with 800,000 directly engaged in production and 2.5 million in the value chain.

Farmer Mary Wanjiku from Molo praised RAC’s impact. “With these cuttings, my yields have doubled, and I spend less on pesticides,” she said. However, challenges remain, including limited funding for scaling and the need for more training. Only 20% of African farmers use improved seeds, per AGRA, underscoring the need for wider adoption.

The initiative draws inspiration from regional successes, such as the International Potato Center’s (CIP) RAC training in Bangalore, India, which enhanced seed quality in Bhutan and Nepal. In Kenya, RAC could contribute 11% of certified seed needs, based on 2019 data projecting 1,280 tons from 640 hectares.

The government, through KEPHIS, is supporting certification to ensure quality, while plans to integrate RAC with hybrid potato seeds, like those from Solynta, promise further gains.

To sustain the revolution, ASARECA and partners aim to expand training, establish more tissue culture labs, and secure funding by 2027. This aligns with Kenya’s food security goals, leveraging RAC’s potential to make potatoes a resilient, high-value crop for smallholders.