The Cooperative targets to achieve its objective through improved access to certified seed potatoes, training on climate smart practices and technologies providing market linkages for ware potato producers. The production model for Nandi is structured to enable production of both improved certified seed potato as well as clean seeds.
The key objective of the business case is to support the cooperative to scale the seed potato production sustainably, hence facilitating access to certified seeds and other support services by small holder farmers. Efforts geared towards this include:
• Investing in seed acreage expansion to 30 acres of C1, 5 acres of pre-basic and 1 acre of Mini-tubers
• Building the capacity of producer groups to act as the outgrowers targeting to increase seed production to 500MT annually
• Setting up an input demand aggregation system to enable farmers access quality inputs at discounted prices.
• Hiring an Agronomist to support farmers on advisory and adoption of CSA practices.
• Training Farmers on CSA practices in Seed production and ware production to increase yield from 4.5tons/acre to 8.5 tons/acre for seeds and from 3.5tons/acre to 6.5tons/acre for ware potatoes.
The proposed climate-smart services to be promoted and availed to smallholder farmers include:
• Expansion of the current seed production capacity sustainably through the expansion of pre-basic and C1 acreage and inclusion of seed producer groups to produce certified seeds
• Enhance climate resilience in seed production by investing in drip irrigation system and shade nets for the apical root cutting unit that will provide breeder seeds for seed production.
• Sustainably establish bean production as a rotational crop to the seed potato production.
• Provision of agronomic services and other support services through the hired extension staff to the smallholder farmers
• Aggregation and marketing of ware potatoes to reliable off-takers by the Cooperative through the signing of supply contracts.
• Climate/weather information provision through bulk sms system