At the conference, 280 scientists and stakeholders from 23 African countries and other regions of the world shared their knowledge on innovative methods of tapping the full potential of potatoes and sweet potatoes for food and income security. Also present were representatives from the entire value creation chain, ranging from seed potatoes and agro-technology to farmers and the processing industry. The conference was co-hosted by the Kenyan Ministry for Agriculture, the National Potato Council of Kenya and the International Potato Center CIP from Peru.
At the conference, 280 scientists and stakeholders from 23 African countries and other regions of the world shared their knowledge.
K+S KALI GmbH was one of the event’s sponsors, as part of its commitment to promote the transfer of knowledge along the value chains. This allowed young, dedicated scientists from African countries to present their research results at the international conference, and to discuss these results with the interdisciplinary audience. The K+S KALI GmbH exhibition stand served as a hotspot for meeting interesting conversation partners. This was also the place to meet Frans Etzebeth, K+S KALI consultant in southern Africa, in conversation with participants.
A central component of K+S KALI GmbH’s contribution to the APA conference was the presentation on plant nutrition, by which the company shared its extensive knowledge on potato nutrition. Prof. Dr. Andreas Gransee, Head of the department Applied Research and Advisory Service Agro, presented research results of worldwide field trials conducted by K+S KALI GmbH.
“Potatoes require an excellent supply of nutrients,” Gransee explained. “In many Sub-Saharan regions, the soil resources are no longer sufficient for securing high yields and quality. Additional applications of fertilisers are necessary for meeting their particularly high demands for potassium and magnesium.” These nutrients will raise both yields and quality of the potatoes. With an average yield of 19 tons of potatoes per hectare, the yield level in Kenya is still far from reaching its maximum potential. This is true for most African countries. In Germany, per-hectare yields average 46 tons (data origin: faostat); in some regions yields of 50 – 80 tons per hectare are achieved.
A balanced nutrition contributes to tapping the full yield potential of this crop. “Additionally, potassium and magnesium influence important quality parameters,” Gransee emphasised. “These nutrients actually raise the potato’s vitamin C content, they reduce black spots and improve storage properties."
Research Efforts of K+S KALI GmbH for Achieving Food Security
For more than 100 years K+S KALI GmbH has been involved in agricultural research, and helps in finding answers to agronomical questions. Extensive field trials in the world’s most important agricultural regions were and still are the foundation for its research activities. Together with its partners, K+S KALI GmbH initiates field trials, assesses their results and in its agronomic consulting activities passes results and findings on to farmers. The company has meanwhile created an encompassing database, not only on the optimal nutrient supply to agricultural crops, but also on the improvement of soil fertility.
In addition, K+S KALI GmbH has joined forces with the Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Germany, to set up the Institute of Applied Plant Nutrition (IAPN), dedicated to topical issues related to applied plant nutrition and the transfer of knowledge from research to practice.
Commitment in Africa
K+S KALI GmbH is strongly committed to promoting food security in Africa. In April 2013 K+S KALI GmbH and the NGO Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) started their joint Africa-project “Growth for Uganda” The intention is to create an agricultural advisory service in Uganda. This advisory service is meant to increase soil fertility and land productivity, thereby improving self-sufficiency as well as smallholder incomes.
Beyond that the company is planning a research project on “Improved Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Intensification in Potato Based Systems in Ethiopia and Kenya“, in which the Institute of Applied Plant Nutrition – IAPN will also participate.
