Potato Production In Kenya Essay

2.1 Introduction
Potato production is 2,192,880.00 tonnes in Kenya and it ranks in position 24TH among the top 25 potatoes producing countries (FAOSTAT 2013). It is normally grown in highland altitude areas of between 1500- 3000 m above sea level with an annual rainfall of between 1050ml-1900ml (Annon 2009).It is commonly grown in the following regions; Mount Kenya region (Embu, Meru, and Kirinyaga), Central region (Kiambu, Murang’a, Jabini, Nyandarua and Nyeri), Central rift region (Bomet, Mau, Narok and Molo), North rift region (Uasin Gishu, Keiyo, Marakwet, Cheranganyi hills and Mount Elgon), and Coastal region (Taita taveta and Wundanyi).

The names are given referring to the dominant criteria such as morphological characteristics, productive capacities, a prominent person or event that coincided with the time the variety was introduced, the person who introduced the cultivar and similarity with other cultivars (Lung’aho et al., 2011). The older varieties such as Amin, Gituru, Kiraya, Mirka, Njine, Njae,patrones and Roslin gucha, which are commonly known by a few farmers. Other varieties are known by more than 69.9% of the farmers. These are Anett,Cardinal, Fieldslohn, Furaha, Gituru, Kenya Baraka, Kenya Dhamana, Karora Iguru, Kibururu, Roslin Tana, Roslin Bvumbwe, Romano, Suzanna, Nyayo, Desire, Kerr’s pink, Tana Kimande, Asante, Tigoni, Karuse, Thima Thuti, Zangi, Kenya Sifa, Kenya Mvuno, Kenya Karibu, Roslin Eburu, Meru Mugaruru and Ndera Mwana. Basing on varieties with characteristics such us time of maturity, starch content, yield potential, storage life, blight resistance, leaf roll resistance, virus Y resistance, bacterial wilt resistance, and meloidogyne resistance. Kerr's Pink is ranked the highest, followed by Maritta, Anett, Kenya Baraka, Pimpernel, Feldeslohn, Patrone, , Robijn, Roslin Chiana, Kenya Akiba, Mirka, Urgenta, Roslin Eburu, Roslin Sasamua, and Desiree according to(Todd, 1976). The choice of potato varieties also depend on characteristics that the farmer wants which are salient to the decision-making process and characteristics of the varieties. The farmer may include socio-economic status, size of household and level of education, knowledge of effective husbandry, access to channels of communication about potato production, production objectives either home consumption or market sales, lack of need for purchase inputs , use of minimal growing space , high yielding ,good cooking qualities , good taste ,storability, marketability, maturation period suitable to farmer's objectives most prefer a short