Game-changing aeroponic system for seed potato production in Kenya

In Kenya improving food security and nutrition is one of the key pillars in the country’s development policy. Potatoes are the second most important food crop in Kenya and improvements in production efficiency is an important route to achieving development goals. The crop is grown by 800,000 small-holders while current seed production stands at <5% of that required even though smallholder adopters of certified seed typically increase yields by 3-5 times with consequent significant positive impact. Airponix (APX) have proven a new game-changing aeroponic crop production system that can produce 3-6 times the minitubers/m2 per year versus the current state of art aeroponic system. The advances of APX are in the use of new fogging systems (as opposed to using mists or sprays) based on patented technology. The system will be optimised at scale & detailed cost and benefit analyses will be carried out between the two systems. And if it can be proven to produce seed tubers sized directly under aeroponic cultivation economically without the need to multiply in the field, which is the constraint to producing more, it will significantly increase the livelihoods of up to 800k smallholder farmers in Kenya without them doing anything different, are likely to increase their crop yields 5-fold.